Season Two Talk: Brand New Contestants, Same Old Bears

[ProfCrash]

I think the people who come on the show can be broken into some easy categories:

1) Excellent Survival Skills but No Issues to Resolve

2) Good Survival Skills but with Issues to Resolve

3) Good Survival Skills Interested in Money

4) Pretend Survival Skills

1) Excellent Survival Skills but No Issues to Resolve

I see Mike and Randy in the first category. They both have the skills to last and win this but they don't have anything that is driving them to really be there. They got bored and missed their family. Neither of them seem to be worried about money or their lifestyle so that is not a motivating factor. They were there for the experience and to show what they could do. They both did. They left when they got bored. Jose is in this category but is not bored yet so he is still there. We have seen so little footage of him that I have no idea if he is interested in the money but his intro video did not make me think that money was a driving factor.

2) Good Survival Skills but with Issues to Resolve

Hello Larry and David. Wow do they belong here. So did PTSD lady whose name I cannot remember. Her issues got the better of her and it sounds like there were other mitigating factors involved. Larry and David do not strike me as awful in the woods but they sure do not have excellent skills. They seem solid in some areas but are clearly lacking in other areas. They will stick it out until they kill themselves or they feel like they have dealt with whatever issues drove them to the show.

3) Good Survival Skills Interested in Money

Justin and Nicole. I think maybe the woman who cut herself. They are pretty solid across the board in their skills but not in the Mike, Jose, Randy, Lucas camp. They are comfortable enough to be able to respond to a crisis and fix things. They seem fine with being there and are interested in the money making them less likely to drop out until they are really desperate. I worry about Justin with his hike. I understand the motive and his desire but I think he is going to end up hurting himself.

4) Pretend Survival Skills

First tap out. Yeah, is there any question about that?

[piequinn35]

Geez Mike tapped out because of Barbara :/ I thought he could have lasted longer than David or Larry. :/

[qtpye]

I agree with most everything you said, ProfCrash,  but I think David thinks he only there for the money.  He has no other means to secure such a large sum of cash, however, he will not be able to continue if he does not get some food soon

I think David was a minister/missionary.  This is not a profession that makes tons of money (unless you are a scam artist), but usually provides great fulfillment to people who are invested in their faith.

I think David is going through a divorce and might be experiencing a crises of faith in his real life.  He probably feels like he has devoted his life to a cause (he is in his fifties) and has little to show for it.  I would not be surprised if he was depressed before ever coming on this show.

The sad thing is, if he could change his attitude, he might go from creepy and sad to quite the silver fox.  He actually looks pretty good for his age.

[ClareWalks]

I think Jose is actually at a huge mental advantage in this game. Clearly he has superior skills to everyone else. But the fact that he is well-adjusted and doesn't have "demons" to work through is a great thing. Yeah, nothing is really keeping him on the show, at least nothing obvious. But his focus is where it needs to be, and he obviously loves primitive wilderness living. With nothing haunting him, as well as no "I need to be around people" thoughts, he could stay out there indefinitely.

[qtpye]

The funny thing, the main reason I see Jose tapping out is if he misses that salmon run.  I could see that being considered a personal failure and maybe something he might not be able to get over.

I like Jose, but the lack of screen time for him and Nicole is frustrating.  I hope this means they will last a long time.

[piequinn35]

Just for fun: what if someone called to tap out just to hear another human voice and then he/she will say

oops I changed my mind I'm gonna stay :) or the boat is already there and then changed his/her mind of tapping out haha 

I guess the other person will ask on the phone "are you sure?" then "are you definitely sure?" one more time

"are you fucking sure?" 

:D

[ProfCrash]

I think Jose is screwed if he doesn't get his boat in the water soon. I really don't want him to win because I have no clue what he is doing. He is building a boat, got it but what is he doing for food? Fire? How is his camp built? We see hardly any of what he is doing and it is annoying. It's like he decided the only thing he wants to show is making the boat. I don't know enough about what he is doing or how he is doing it to have the slightest clue if he might be close to tapping or not.

We have had a good amount of Nicole time, she seems to get a good amount of air time every other week. I suspect that she goes far because she has always had a good attitude and seems to be pretty well set up.

Justin is not likely to last long unless he survives his hike and moves his camp. Larry and David are wildcards. I can't see either of them lasting that long but who knows what is going to happen. They are both desperate enough and stubborn enough that they could go a decent amount of time.

I will honestly disappointed if Jose wins because we have seen so little of what he is doing. I almost think that they need to change the show a bit and force the participants to set up cameras in specific locations around their camp and control them remotely or something so that the participants cannot hide what they are doing.

[cooksdelight]

12 minutes ago, piequinn35 said:

Just for fun: what if someone called to tap out just to hear another human voice and then he/she will say

oops I changed my mind I'm gonna stay :) or the boat is already there and then changed his/her mind of tapping out haha 

I guess the other person will ask on the phone "are you sure?" then "are you definitely sure?" one more time

"are you fucking sure?" 

:D

They have human contact each week from both medical and the camera people who replenish their batteries. 

[piequinn35]

If that so then Randy had human interactions for a bit then..

[Quilt Fairy]

I'm confused about the salmon run, at least as it relates to the show (I do know what a salmon run is). They are in the same general area as last year, right? But I don't remember anyone last year talking about the salmon run, nor did anyone IIRC catch any fish as big as a salmon. This season both Nicole and Jose have mentioned the salmon run, but no one else has, and only Nicole has caught salmon. Is the timing slightly different from last year? Are the 10 campsite areas that different? What is it about the area that I don't know?

[ProfCrash]

From Wikipedia (hey, I have limited Googlefu at work)

Quote

The salmon run is the time when salmon, which have migrated from the ocean, swim to the upper reaches of rivers where they spawn on gravel beds. After spawning, all Pacific salmon and most Atlantic salmon die, and the salmon life cycle starts over again. The annual run can be a major event for grizzly bears, bald eagles and sport fishermen. Most salmon species migrate during the fall (September through November).[1]

http://www.kanada-british-columbia.de/en/salmon_run/

The above link covers the salmon runs in British Columbia. It seems like different species have different run dates but that all the runs take place between August and October, so a long period of time. It is possible that the salmon have not started the run still but a few fish made their way into the area.

http://blog.hellobc.com/salmon-run-on-vancouver-island/

For Vancouver Island it appears to be around October

[ClareWalks]

Based on what Jose was saying, it seemed like he was hoping to get a shitload of salmon and somehow preserve it. Does smoked salmon last a long time with no refrigeration? Is it possible that Jose is "harvesting" salt from the ocean to use as a preservative? Because preserving a bunch of salmon for the winter would truly be next-level stuff.

[seasick]

3 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I'm confused about the salmon run, at least as it relates to the show (I do know what a salmon run is). They are in the same general area as last year, right? But I don't remember anyone last year talking about the salmon run, nor did anyone IIRC catch any fish as big as a salmon. This season both Nicole and Jose have mentioned the salmon run, but no one else has, and only Nicole has caught salmon. Is the timing slightly different from last year? Are the 10 campsite areas that different? What is it about the area that I don't know?

I'm pretty sure Nicole indicated on that link to a website that they went there mid-september.  I thought last season the guys were talking about missing thanksgiving?? (toward the end) so doing the math maybe they started mid October?    These are just my hints about it,  I have no definitive answer.  

I will say when I was in Juneau Alaska years ago at the end of August there were dead salmon then indicating that they had already gone and spawned (they do die after, right?)   But maybe exact timing depends on the area and the river they have to return to. That's all I got.  hope someone can fill in the blanks .  Okay just saw Prof. crash replied.. 

[seasick]

4 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

Based on what Jose was saying, it seemed like he was hoping to get a shitload of salmon and somehow preserve it. Does smoked salmon last a long time with no refrigeration? Is it possible that Jose is "harvesting" salt from the ocean to use as a preservative? Because preserving a bunch of salmon for the winter would truly be next-level stuff.

What a great thought.  When it's smoked and dried I think it requires no refrigeration.  it's like jerky and it's delicious

[ClareWalks]

3 minutes ago, seasick said:

What a great thought.  When it's smoked and dried I think it requires no refrigeration.  it's like jerky and it's delicious

That DOES sound good! I just figured he must be planning to preserve it, since he said it would totally change everything about his situation. He is thinking long term, that Jose. Clever man.

[riverheightsnancy]

15 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

That DOES sound good! I just figured he must be planning to preserve it, since he said it would totally change everything about his situation. He is thinking long term, that Jose. Clever man.

Pretty sure he said that in the last episode he was in. I agree about not seeing enough about him. I strongly believe that the reason we are not seeing him now is because we are going to see a lot of him at the end because he and someone else last a while. That is just my opinion, based on the editing, but maybe we can find out after it is over if the producers will comment about it. I hope it is that and not that Jose was just being lazy about filming. I think Jose is about this type of living and while being around people is great, he derives a lot from being with nature (but not like Randy, which comes across as really fake in so ways). With that mindset, how could you not win? Everyone else is just biding their time until they can go "home". Jose IS home. This show keeps highlighting that it is all about the mental process. Jose seems to have that and the skills to keep going. 

[MostlyContent]

5 hours ago, walnutqueen said:

^^^ That's a haiku.  :-)

A limerick:

There once was a hermit named Dave

who kept a dead whore in his cave.

He said "I'll admit I'm a bit of a shit,

but think of the money I save!"

LOL!  And that is why I should post when the coffee is *done* brewing, not while it's brewing!   

[seasick]

32 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

That DOES sound good! I just figured he must be planning to preserve it, since he said it would totally change everything about his situation. He is thinking long term, that Jose. Clever man.

The best idea was harvesting the salt from the ocean.  I'm familiar with the dried salmon "jerky" and had looked to see if salt was part of their survival choices, but they didn't afford enough to make that choice worthwhile IMO.  In one of the seasons of "the Alaska Experiment'  they gave them Ball jars to preserve salmon. I thought maybe one of the choices the Aloners were given would suggest the ability to preserve fish or meat.

[ProfCrash]

Eh, Lucas and Mike had the skills to keep going but wanted to get back to their lives. We are getting so little from Jose we don't know if he is struggling with being alone. Does that mean he is totally comfortable with being alone and is in it for the long haul or does it mean that he is not recording his low moments?

We have seen a good amount from Nicole and I think she is going to last a long time. We have saw plenty from Randy and Mike who were skilled but left. We have seen more then enough from Dave and Larry and Justin. All of them are recording what things are like at their camp sites and what their thought processes are. We have seen none of that from Jose. Either he is incredibly boring, not recording it, or what he has set up is so freaking awesome that if we see it we know he is the winner. My money is on his not recording stuff more then anything else.

Honestly, we have see people build some nice camps and boats and other things and who looked set to go the distance who tapped. Why wouldn't they show us Jose's material if they had it?

They have not hidden anyone else they way the have Jose. I don't want to see someone win who did not participate in an important element of the show, recording what they were doing.

 That would be like Les going out in Survivorman and all we saw was his hanging out describing what he did because he decided it was too much of a pain in the ass to record what he was doing.

[Ocean Chick]

1 hour ago, ClareWalks said:

Based on what Jose was saying, it seemed like he was hoping to get a shitload of salmon and somehow preserve it. Does smoked salmon last a long time with no refrigeration? Is it possible that Jose is "harvesting" salt from the ocean to use as a preservative? Because preserving a bunch of salmon for the winter would truly be next-level stuff.

Smoked salmon is preserved, so yes, it will last a long time.  He can also make salmon jerky which will last as long as he's out there.

[riverheightsnancy]

15 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

Eh, Lucas and Mike had the skills to keep going but wanted to get back to their lives. We are getting so little from Jose we don't know if he is struggling with being alone. Does that mean he is totally comfortable with being alone and is in it for the long haul or does it mean that he is not recording his low moments?

We have seen a good amount from Nicole and I think she is going to last a long time. We have saw plenty from Randy and Mike who were skilled but left. We have seen more then enough from Dave and Larry and Justin. All of them are recording what things are like at their camp sites and what their thought processes are. We have seen none of that from Jose. Either he is incredibly boring, not recording it, or what he has set up is so freaking awesome that if we see it we know he is the winner. My money is on his not recording stuff more then anything else.

Honestly, we have see people build some nice camps and boats and other things and who looked set to go the distance who tapped. Why wouldn't they show us Jose's material if they had it?

They have not hidden anyone else they way the have Jose. I don't want to see someone win who did not participate in an important element of the show, recording what they were doing.

 That would be like Les going out in Survivorman and all we saw was his hanging out describing what he did because he decided it was too much of a pain in the ass to record what he was doing.

I hear what you are saying, but the editors can pull footage from the stationary cameras if Jose is not recording enough camera talk and then voice over his impressions if they wanted to. Maybe they will solve the mystery at the end? I think they are just not showing him as much because it is too obvious that he is set. Look at what he did with making rope from vines that was episode 1 or 2. I think they are saving him for the end because he and another may have several episodes just about them and that is where we might see a lot more. I hope so, because I would like to see more of him and Nicole. We will see! ;)

Did anyone get nervous when Justin was chopping his kindling just like MK did? Justin really looks like he lost weight, you could see it in his face. 

[Quilt Fairy]

I'm going to defend Jose (again). If he is not filming enough or what he is filming is of poor quality, for the contestants it's only week 3 and the editors may just be figuring out they need more/better stuff from Jose and letting him know that via the weekly visit.

I also want to add that despite any complaints I may make about individual contestants and their actions and motivations, Alone remains one of the best shows on television.

[ProfCrash]

I don't think there are stationary cameras at the camps. People find a location and set up their camp. Larry moved his camp already and Justin is getting ready to move. So there is no place to set up stationary cameras.

If they save him for the end then they g***** everyone. Nicole has built a very nice shelter and a great camp. She is successfully fishing and we are seeing all of that. There are folks who are doing well and then gone and people who struggle and survive. We all know that. There is no reason to show how well set up Mike was just because they knew he was leaving at Day 22 and not show what Jose had done at his camp. If they want to disguise something, show half of the Barbara footage and let Mike's good-bye video explain his departure. Hell, even with all the Barbara talk I didn't think Mike would go.

They know after the first week of film if the participants are doing enough filming. So I don't buy that as an excuse. Jose seems to be getting more then enough of his boat building experience on film. It is well shot and well explained. So if there is not video it is not because he lacks the skill.

I love this show but Jose winning will be cheap because I know nothing of his journey and that is BS.

[riverheightsnancy]

1 minute ago, ProfCrash said:

I don't think there are stationary cameras at the camps. People find a location and set up their camp. Larry moved his camp already and Justin is getting ready to move. So there is no place to set up stationary cameras.

I thought that there were some placed on trees that are static, that film on movement? Maybe I am thinking of some other show? I thought that those cameras could pick up the animals that might be outside your tent, when you are inside and it gives them more footage. I swear they showed them how to set the cameras up during that pre-show episode, but I could be wrong. Maybe someone else can chime in that has seen the pre-show more recently. Jose is still my pick, but I would like to see more too. 

[Quilt Fairy]

I disagree. So far, they have shown us more of the problem camp setups than the successful ones regardless of whether the contestant tapped out. I remember seeing a shot of Tracey inside her shelter and it was very nicely done, you could see all this beautiful ribbing in the top and we never saw one frame of her building that.

ETA: You are right, Nancy, they are supposed to set up motion-sensitive game cameras around their camp.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Quilt Fairy

[riverheightsnancy]

9 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I disagree. So far, they have shown us more of the problem camp setups than the successful ones regardless of whether the contestant tapped out. I remember seeing a shot of Tracey inside her shelter and it was very nicely done, you could see all this beautiful ribbing in the top and we never saw one frame of her building that.

ETA: You are right, Nancy, they are supposed to set up motion-sensitive game cameras around their camp.

Yeah, I thought I saw that. I think that they are only black and white/night vision style? My memory isn't as good as it used to be! lol

[ProfCrash]

They are suppose to but that doesn't mean that they did or that they set it up so that the cameras capture what they are doing in the camp.

We have seen Nicole build her structure, layer in the fronds for warmth and build a door. I think the only camp we have not seen yet is Jose's. Hell, the only person who I have not heard a decent confessional from is Jose.

Sorry, he might have mad skills but if they are not going to show me those skills or he is not going to record those skills, I cannot get behind him. The whole point of the show is to see how different people respond to a survival situation in a difficult location. Either the Producers are choosing not to show us someone who is doing a great job or he is not recording it. Either way, it limits how much I care about that person.

[piequinn35]

How many cameras does each one have?

[ClareWalks]

I definitely agree that they need to show more of everyone. I don't think it's a matter of them not filming it, either, because surely the producers who do the wellness checks on them frequently would say something after a couple visits if the tape wasn't adequate. At least, I would hope so, but who knows? I would much rather see Nicole teaching us how to make fish traps (or whatever) than see Larry set himself on fire and scream "FUCK" repeatedly. 

Actually, Larry setting himself on fire* would be REALLY compelling television, so nevermind. 

*not that I wish death upon him, or even mild harm, but it would be funny in the abstract

[Quilt Fairy]

21 minutes ago, piequinn35 said:

How many cameras does each one have?

I looked on the History website and it does not specify, it only says generic things like "camera pack" and  "camera gear".  I'm going to guess between 3 and 4 from what footage we get. We only know about the trap cameras because it was mentioned in an episode last season.

 

A really interesting thing I just read on the History website was about Desmond, the guy who lasted all of 5 hours. It still lists his home town in Arizona, but it adds "Currently in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba". There's no way he could be there without being in the military, right? I wonder if he re-upped.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Quilt Fairy

[humbleopinion]

I imagined Barbara doing the tango with a roomful of friends and drinking champagne when she gets the call Mike has tapped.

Her response is a healthy eye roll and sending everyone home because the party is over.

Mike insanely missed Barbara but he was more afraid of her NOT missing him.

He was getting more and more insecure that she was enjoying life without him and that drove him to tap.

Mike was silently panicked that Barbara LIKED not having him around.

Barbara deserves to be on the Season 3 of Alone.

She would easily win since her motive would be not having to return home to over clingy, soul sucking husband and his perpetual need for reaffirmation to her how she is his WHOLE life.

[dustoffmom]

12 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

It still lists his home town in Arizona, but it adds "Currently in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba". There's no way he could be there without being in the military, right? I wonder if he re-upped.

 

I'm not sure but would imagine they have contractors on base as cooks, drivers, AAFES type workers and Brown and Root people.  They are on virtually every other military base anywhere.  I'll ask around and see if anyone knows.He might have signed on with a contracting group.  Decent money in a hardship location and being a vet he has a bit of a leg up.

[piequinn35]

When we saw Justin walking away to go hiking, my husband said "now he has to go back and get the camera" hahaha, can he leave that camera there until he gets back from his hiking? are these cameras water proof or maybe he covered it. I assume he got another camera for his hiking.

[seasick]

1 hour ago, ProfCrash said:

They are suppose to but that doesn't mean that they did or that they set it up so that the cameras capture what they are doing in the camp.

We have seen Nicole build her structure, layer in the fronds for warmth and build a door. I think the only camp we have not seen yet is Jose's. Hell, the only person who I have not heard a decent confessional from is Jose.

Sorry, he might have mad skills but if they are not going to show me those skills or he is not going to record those skills, I cannot get behind him. The whole point of the show is to see how different people respond to a survival situation in a difficult location. Either the Producers are choosing not to show us someone who is doing a great job or he is not recording it. Either way, it limits how much I care about that person.

I hear you Prof.  Frankly I think most of the editing is ignorant of what people are most interested to see.  This is not their first rodeo and they can instruct them to specifically show their camp or show them building camp etc. (and then show it)  It seems it's most of what we're interested in, esp. in the beginning.    I assumed Justin had just rolled himself into a tarp at night and then you finally see were he had wood structure supporting a decent tent set-up.  

I said after week 1 or 2 that if I had gone through the trouble of filming myself 24/7 and the best they would show of my journey is me making angry faces of myself (ala Dave) I'd be pretty annoyed.  

However they did show a shot of Jose's camp this ep (finally).  It is very rudimentary!  I thought maybe it was his cook camp but I froze the frame and it looks like his sleeping bag was in there etc. 

Since they gave away that 2 would go home they spent this ep mostly creating suspense as to who it was by only showing (except Jose) Aloners griping.  Given the spoiler it was okay, but I still prefer they be more aware of showing daily challenges and successes as well.  They could have squeezed in a Nicole segment.  (and I'm also fascinated to know what crap they find along the beach!!  I wish they would show more of that!)

Edited June 10, 2016 by seasick

[riverheightsnancy]

Someone with a better memory of last season can answer this, but here is my question: by day 21/22 how many people were left on the island last season? I think that we may have been more satisfied with the amount of air time, because there were more taps quickly, which freed up more air time to highlight everyone left a bit more. Any bets on how long the last person goes to? Last year was what 2 months? (and remember how they were just jumping vast numbers of days to get the season to "fit" the number of episodes?). I will say 4 months and I have no reason to say that other than I think that they will double last season. 

[SRTouch]

1 hour ago, dustoffmom said:

I'm not sure but would imagine they have contractors on base as cooks, drivers, AAFES type workers and Brown and Root people.  They are on virtually every other military base anywhere.  I'll ask around and see if anyone knows.He might have signed on with a contracting group.  Decent money in a hardship location and being a vet he has a bit of a leg up.

My guess would be as a contractor rather than active duty. Contractors make more money than the soldier doing the same job, but they don't count when the politicians talk about the number of people serving. IIRC he was Army for 6-8 years (I never heard his MOS) , so I guess he could have gone back in, or since that's a Navy base he could have switched services. But, like I said, my guess would be a contractor, or maybe Homeland Security.

[Joan Z]

3 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

I thought that there were some placed on trees that are static, that film on movement? Maybe I am thinking of some other show? I thought that those cameras could pick up the animals that might be outside your tent, when you are inside and it gives them more footage. I swear they showed them how to set the cameras up during that pre-show episode, but I could be wrong. Maybe someone else can chime in that has seen the pre-show more recently. Jose is still my pick, but I would like to see more too. 

They do have game camera that they tie to a tree. Not sure how it works but i think it only record few seconds to few minutes when it detect movements within its range. 

[Joan Z]

2 hours ago, piequinn35 said:

How many cameras does each one have?

If I'm not mistaken, i read somewhere that they have 2 cameras which i guess not included game camera. From the episodes so far, i can see that they have at least one big camera and a GoPro. 

[SRTouch]

11 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

Did anyone get nervous when Justin was chopping his kindling just like MK did? Justin really looks like he lost weight, you could see it in his face. 

Actually, I think if you go back and look again you'll see that there is a difference. MK held the wood on a cutting block with one hand and swung the axe at the wood one handed. When you do this and swing at the wood and miss, you have a 50/50 chance of hurting yourself. Even if you hit the wood, if you're holding the wood and swinging the axe, the wood can split the wrong way, you could get hurt.

The proper way is to hold the axe blade against the wood with one hand, hold the wood with the other hand, then lift both the axe and the wood together and gently bring them down together on the block to get the axe to stick in the wood. At this point you just want the axe to stick in the wood so when you lift the axe the wood comes with it. Let go of the wood, lift the axe with the wood stuck on it, and bring it down gently to split the wood, keeping your hand away from the wood.

Another way to make kindling with an axe is to hold the stick you want to split in place with a second stick. Some call the second stick a sissy stick. Works pretty good if your sissy stick has a fork that you can rest your kindling stick in. Again, never swing the axe down when you're holding the stick on the cutting block with your hand.

Not sure if I'm making sense or not, lots of words and it's so much simpler to just demonstrate the proper technique. The keys are to take your time, gently tapping the wood instead of swinging the axe, and never swinging it when your hand is holding the wood. That said, it's easy to get complacent and lazy, get in a hurry, and end up hurting yourself.

Course the best way would be not to use an axe, but that's what they have, and you can do it safely. Another way to make kindling is to use a knife. I think it was Randy who did this. Hold the blade on the wood and tap the blade with a block of wood.

Edited June 11, 2016 by SRTouch
Spelling

[LisainCali]

11 hours ago, seasick said:

I think Barbara is annoyed that Mike is so clingy.  (i would be!)  That relationship seems more like mother/son than husband /wife.  Mike just seems like a big kid to me, especially since his "poor me" orphan days are his headliner still.    I admire his ingenuity for sure, but my speculation is Barbara is the breadwinner and Mike diddely-bops thru life. His description of Barbara as "the kindest, most compassionate"  hints "she let's me continue to use my past as an excuse"   .   500 grand?  No.  As long as he has clean clothes and food in the fridge he's good.  Just my perception..    

I find it a bit odd that Randy never once talked about how he was keeping his fire going or any time he had to do friction again., especially since loss of the ferro rod was going to create a huge hardship and tap-out risk.    I want to hear out of Randy's mouth  that he indeed kept that fire going or continued with friction.   This was a major plot line and then--never to be talked about again??  Yeah, maybe the editing  but,  I'm suspicious. It was a big enough hardship that it warranted a follow-up.

I have to disagree here.  Mikes story, to me, is harrowing.  Parents die, he gets put in an orphanage that kicks him out when he was 13.  13!  He was tossed out to the streets.  I believed in the first episode that he would not survive long, despite his wicked skills, because he talked about his need for Barbara in his first interview.

To me, Mike is the ultimate survivor because of his mad skills at turning his space into a resort.  He doesn't need the $500k, though I'm sure he would love it, because he has built a loving life with a wife who needs to be needed.  Perfect couple.  He loves her, he cares for her.  She is happy with a simple life and is also blessed to find a man who loves her so much, he would obviously die for her.  I love them!  Plus he served in the Air Force and honed the survival skills he probably learned on the streets  Did I mention he was on the streets at 13?  13!  

With Randy, he teaches a survival course, as do most of them.  He is young though, and a millenial, so I figured he would tap out when he lost his fire.  He didn't.  He's learned that he needs to teach his students how to fish, and how to REALLY start a fire.  

I am so in awe of these contestants!  My money was on Jose from day 1, simply because he already lives that way.  

As for Larry, I love him!  But he will never be my next husband....but he could be my neighbor.

[Snarklepuss]

11 hours ago, Joan Z said:

We're occupied in college with classes, school activities, assignments, exams that helps to cope with being in a long distance relationship. plus we have friends to talk to. The guys on the show are alone, no one to talk to but the camera. 

Actually he was pretty much alone, didn't go there with any friends, didn't really make any friends, didn't speak the language and felt like a stranger in a strange land.  If you've ever seen Scarlet Johansen in "Lost in Translation", that was pretty much his experience except he didn't even have Bill Murray to talk to, plus he missed me like nobody's business.  Then again Mr. Snarkle is pretty much a loner and at least when he was young, a quiet person who didn't come out of his shell until he was older, so he was used to it.  You can feel very much alone and lonely in a crowd.  That was a great movie, BTW.  It resonated with both of us.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Snarklepuss

[cooksdelight]

I think it would be funny as hell if Larry winds up winning this. 

[muffkins]

Quote

I, too, am disappointed about Mike tapping.  I loved his ingenuity and creativity.  I was always looking forward to see what he made next.  I know he misses Barbara, but dude!  It's only been 3 weeks!  Poor Barbara must feel smothered at times.

He sounds a lot like my dad.  Everyone in the world could disappear, but as long as my mom was around, dad would be fine.  My mom retired before him, and only lasted at home for a year after dad retired, before going back to work.  She said he just wore her down with constant togetherness, so she went back to work to get away from him.  I'm dreading what will happen if my mom passes before him.  I doubt he'd last the month.

[Snarklepuss]

15 hours ago, raven said:

Except on VI they are not around anyone at all, except for med visits.  Though they talk about their loved ones, I really think it's the lack of any human contact that gets them, the lack of being able to reach out whenever you want to and not knowing when you'll be able to do that again.

Sure that's tough, but it's only temporary.  People have been going on long adventures in remote places away from civilization for many thousands of years and just had to tough it out.  They didn't have a cell phone with them to call a rescue party at any moment's notice.  I actually think it's having the ability to tap out and just go home at any time that makes them all too tempted to give in in a moment of weakness.  But I still think it's the wussie's way out.  I think they do themselves a disservice because toughing it out is the true skill.  I don't think this is just a test of physical survival.  Being able to handle the mental/emotional aspect of being completely alone is just as important.  Some of these people have conquered their physical environment but have not honed their mental/emotional survival skills.  So to me they really aren't true survivalists.  It doesn't matter how good you are at handling the physical environment - If you can't handle your emotions you'll never last in the wilderness.  Eventually your inability to cope mentally will do you in somehow.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Snarklepuss

[Snarklepuss]

13 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

For me there is absolutely no doubt who wins this. It is the only person never seen talking about tapping or missing anyone. It is also the person who is really working to live there and not just to see how tough he is. To me, Jose is on a whole different show and it is almost unfair to everyone else. If Jose does not win, I will be absolutely floored. I think (and would like) Nicole second. I would like to see a whole show of Jose doing his thing. If Larry keeps screwing up, he will accidentally kill himself. That was a major "oops". In the long shots of the chimney, you could already see the top of the tree was red and smoking. It is like he is a solo Camp Dinner Bell from the Walking Dead. ;)

I don't know, I put Jose in the camp with the others that are excellent at physical survival but not necessarily the emotional survival of being completely alone.  They don't show enough of him for me to get a read on where he's coming from with that.  I almost half expect him to turn out like that guy last season who had a beautiful camp all set up and then suddenly without notice said he had "no more to accomplish" and went home.  Then again what I do know about Jose is promising.  He's had an interesting, challenging life and he seems relatively well adjusted.  He may actually have what it takes.  Nicole has a great attitude.  She's one of those always optimistic people like Sam last season, and that might help her to last a long time even if things get tough.  At this point I'm rooting for Nicole but either of them winning would be OK with me.

[SRTouch]

Hmmm, just spend some time looking at Jose's FB page. https://m.facebook.com/j.m.amoedo/?sk=timeline&app_data&_ft_=top_level_post_id.10154016626429243%3Atl_objid.10154016626429243%3Athid.695464242%3A306061129499414%3A2%3A1451635200%3A1483257599%3A3525020605613705739&__tn__=H  

pretty interesting stuff. One thing i found interesting is Jose seems to be really into medieval combat reenactments - I didn't even know there were international competitions. Offers not just insights into Jose, but links to other contestants as well. For instance, it appears Larry, who he calls "my friend," has a YouTube channel with survival tips. And he and Nicole have been friends for years, and she says Jose helped teach her kids years ago. 

[Quilt Fairy]

1 hour ago, cooksdelight said:

I think it would be funny as hell if Larry winds up winning this. 

It would be fucking hilarious.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Quilt Fairy

[cooksdelight]

Jose and Nicole are longtime friends? Seriously? Why on earth would producers put people who are friends into this show, when there are plenty of total strangers who want to try out? Damn.... I really didn't want for this show to go down that road.

[MostlyContent]

2 hours ago, SRTouch said:

Hmmm, just spend some time looking at Jose's FB page. https://m.facebook.com/j.m.amoedo/?sk=timeline&app_data&_ft_=top_level_post_id.10154016626429243%3Atl_objid.10154016626429243%3Athid.695464242%3A306061129499414%3A2%3A1451635200%3A1483257599%3A3525020605613705739&__tn__=H  

pretty interesting stuff. One thing i found interesting is Jose seems to be really into medieval combat reenactments - I didn't even know there were international competitions. Offers not just insights into Jose, but links to other contestants as well. For instance, it appears Larry, who he calls "my friend," has a YouTube channel with survival tips. And he and Nicole have been friends for years, and she says Jose helped teach her kids years ago. 

Wow, thanks for this, SRTouch!  

I'm loving the videos he does of the episodes, and really enjoyed the Lucas interview, too.  

[holly4755]

just a reminder David has said several times now , he is in it for the money. And he has no life to go back to. No job. no nothing, so he might just win it all, heaven help him. if he does not starve first.