I Want To Be Alone: This Season vs Other Seasons

[qtpye]

3 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I think no other season matched the first one with Alan. He now has a business of teaching people how to survive in the wilderness. I don't know of another participant who has capitalized on their time on the show the way he has. Last season was sort of meh for me, and maybe for others. If anyone knows a ratings breakdown from season to season, I'd be interested in knowing what the numbers were.

Because a ratings slip is the only thing I can think of for wanting to change the format of the show. Producers seem to flip out over a one-number dip and do nutty things to fix it.

It always feels like the first season of a successful reality show is its best, because the contestants are so sincere.  Alan was the perfect winner.  The next season was filled with people trying to showcase their various "survival businesses" rather then meeting the challenge of the show.  In season two, the pair of guys who were in it for the money were the final two, rather then all the "wilderness experts".

[Subrookie]

3 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

There are ways to change the show and keep it a solo adventure. I think they could allow for a food package of rice and beans or jerky or whatever once a week after the first month. Or start the show earlier in the spring so that the contestants have more time to harvest and store food for the late fall/winter. Teams makes no sense for a show that is suppose to be about individual people surviving.

We have no idea what the new format is other than a vague teaser trailer. Although, I'm not a fan of outside interference by providing things that weren't brought into the woods with the contestants at the beginning. What your propose sounds like the Hunger Games.

I'm keeping an open mind because I could see ways they could still make this primarily a solo adventure. I wouldn't be opposed to having pairs camp reasonably close to each other (e.g., 2 miles apart) where every 10 days they could meet for a day to trade or barter. If someone needs help making a raft, shelter or food they could trade a something they've found or one of their 10 items in exchange for help. Or, the net one brought doesn't work at his/her location, and the other contestant has a fishing tackle that isn't viable in their camp because of whatever reason. They could exchange. Early explorers/trappers had Rendezvous where that kind of thing happened.

Just an idea. Like I said, I'm going to give the new format a chance until I see what they've come up with.

Edited May 15, 2017 by Subrookie

[ProfCrash]

I fail to see how providing a weekly food package, to prevent starvation, or start filming earlier so people have more time to harvest and store food while maintaining the current format is the Hunger Games.

I like the solo element. I think that is the most intriguing part of the show. How do you survive the environment and yourself? What drives you to continue? How do you approach the stillness?

It is why I loved Survivorman. There are ways to prevent the issue of starvation and having to pull people without ruining the being alone element. That is my preference. I won't watch if they move to teams, that is not the show that I loved. It is something else and no where near as interesting to me as the original show. The show was successful enough that it attracted people who were more then willing and able to go far longer then the first two seasons. Adjust the show to accommodate the fact that there are people with the skills and the mentality to go a good long time but don't ruin it.

[SRTouch]

23 minutes ago, Subrookie said:

Just an idea. Like I said, I'm going to give the new format a chance until I see what they've come up with.

Yep, that where I'm at as well. I distrust the vague teaser, as the show runners have demonstrated in the past they aren't above throwing out teasers with little to no basis in facts (the charging wolf I mentioned upstream). I'm really not sure where a team would have a benefit over an individual, anyway. Sure, I guess a division of labor, one hunter/gatherer while other builds the shelter and keeps the wood supply/fire - then of course more substantial shelters with a couple people felling trees, hauling rocks etc. But, really, from what we've seen the limiting factor - besides mental aspect of loneliness - is finding enough food. There were reasons why the hunter/gather folks used to pick up and move, and the depletion of available resources was a biggy.

So, bottom line, I'll believe the teams when/if it happens. The only real benefits I see with a team would be to combat the loneliness and to have someone to bounce ideas off. Of course, with a team, hunting strategies could change - one hide off a game trail while game is driven towards their blind. So far, hunting has been a big bust, but a single kill could have been a game changer. I'm thinking a duo will run out of available resources quicker than an individual if they're gathering rather than hunting. 

We'll just have to wait and see.

[Subrookie]

47 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

I fail to see how providing a weekly food package, to prevent starvation, or start filming earlier so people have more time to harvest and store food while maintaining the current format is the Hunger Games.

That comment is referring to how outside people can send items to assist the contestant. In the HG they could receive a package from a outside sponsor. Something they didn't bring with them. I think the Alone contestants should work with the food available around them and the items they brought. Nothing other than medical care should be provided. If they are starving they should be pulled or tap out.

I do think they should start filming earlier. IMO the primary reason they film so close to the winter is to hasten tap outs and shorten the competition as people have trouble finding food that would normally be more readily available before the weather turns colder, i.e., mainly financial - time related. That handicaps everyone in the competition unfairly.

Edited May 15, 2017 by Subrookie
grammer

[ProfCrash]

In the Hunger Games people pool their money to send packages to their favorites. Traditionally the District 1 and 2 folks get most of the packages because they are the wealthiest districts. The suggestion that each person remaining after a month receive a food package that contains enough calories to prevent the need for someone being pulled because their weight dropped too a dangerous level is pretty different. It is not saying that only the people who are close to being pulled get food but that everyone get a food package that meets a base level of calories to prevent pure starvation.

I do think that starting the show earlier would be far better then offering a food package. If they start it early enough that someone with the skills can harvest and conserve food for later in the season, there would be no need for a weekly food drop. I suspect that most of the serious contenders would know how to smoke food and preserve other foods so that they would have food into the winter. If they don't, then tough. But starting them in the middle of the fall does not give them the chance to do that.

I understand why they run it that way, I don't think they want the show to run longer then three months. I suspect that they were worried this last season because the remaining contestants showed no real desire to tap out. But the start time and their desire to not let this go too far meant that the season ended in a disappointing fashion last season.

I do think that an earlier start will not prevent most of the people who drop in the first month from dropping. Most of them are dropping because they cannot handle the isolation and not because they are hungry or cold. All it really means is that the folks who really know what they are doing will be able to go 3-4 months easy.

[cooksdelight]

A part of me thinks production doesn't want someone out there an entire year. They want the contest to last 3-4 months at the most so they can quickly get another season filmed.

Maybe they're hoping one team member will try to kill the other one.

[Whyyouneedaname]

when will the new season air?

[Charlesman]

On 5/17/2017 at 2:38 PM, Whyyouneedaname said:

when will the new season air?

The blurb:

Quote

History survival series “Alone” will return for season four on Tuesday, June 15 at 10 p.m. ET. Seven teams of two will be separated and dropped miles apart with two ultimate goals: navigate the brutal, unforgiving terrain of Vancouver Island in an attempt to locate their isolated partner and, once reunited, survive as long as they can. For these seven pairs of family members will having a partner help or hurt their chances of going the distance?

[Canada]

Oh, I can see that this season is going to annoy the shit out of me.

[piequinn35]

Alone is always Thursdays not Tuesdays, we are back to bear land. :) They should rename the show to "Alone with my Loved One".

[Canada]

It sounds like the Amazing Race.  I had to stop watching that nightmare because watching family members and friends argue with each other is not my idea of entertainment.

[rmontro]

On 5/23/2017 at 8:50 PM, Canada said:

It sounds like the Amazing Race.  I had to stop watching that nightmare because watching family members and friends argue with each other is not my idea of entertainment.

Maybe they're responding to all the complaints about the whining from the contestants missing their family.  We'll probably still have it though - a guy and his brother will be out there and one dude will be whining about missing his kids.

[Quilt Fairy]

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 3:15 PM, Charlesman said:

separated and dropped miles apart with two ultimate goals: navigate the brutal, unforgiving terrain of Vancouver Island in an attempt to locate their isolated partner and, once reunited, survive as long as they can.

This sounds exactly like Dual Survival.

[ramble]

Alone is alone not alone plus one you stupid people in charge. Look up the definition of the word: "Having no one else present; isolated from others." Are they going to rename it? Almost Alone. That aspect, being alone, set this show apart from others in the field. This team idea disappoints me, and makes me so frustrated. I'll watch to give it an chance to prove itself, but I don't have high hopes.  

[Subrookie]

If they make it difficult for the pair to meet up I suppose this might be interesting, but what if they use the usual cast of characters that tap out on day 1-3? What are they going to do with the other half of the pair? Pick them up and say, "sorry, your brother couldn't go a half mile in the bush of northern Vancouver Island by himself. Your journey is over." lame. 

[muffkins]

So they're back on Vancouver Island, correct?  I may watch this just out of sangfroid.  Or Schadenfreude.  This winter was one of the worst for snow and cold that we have had in a very long time here in BC.  Should be interesting.  People may last longer with another person, but they also may quit because of the weather.  I'll give it a go.

[humbleopinion]

One of the commercials has a participant slicing into their hand...so does the team get eliminated if one has to get medical care off VI?

We will see...

Another has a wolf approaching then the camera goes Blair Witch...

[dustoffmom]

Not with the wolf again!!  We had a whole season of the wolf preview and the damn thing was never part of the programs that aired!

[cooksdelight]

Probably the same wolf.

[humbleopinion]

Stunt Wolf.

Bait and Switch Wolf.

Return to Vancouver Island Wolf.

[humbleopinion]

Can't wait until one member of a team pushes the "I give up" button without telling the other member... then plays dumb when the production boat shows up unbeknownst to the other that it is not a routine medical checkup but a rescue...

Ratings gold....

[rmontro]

Maybe the wolf will win this season.

[ProfCrash]

Enjoy, I will not be watching

[cooksdelight]

Amazing Race lost me this year with another gimmick. I think this show is doomed.

[SRTouch]

36 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Amazing Race lost me this year with another gimmick. I think this show is doomed.

I may join ProfCrash and be a non viewer - we're going from Robinson Crusoe to Swiss Family Robinson - why not just bring the kids. Bout halfway through last season I quit watching when it became too much like N&A - "I'm just going to sit here and do nothing" - "look how skinny I am, I've got all this dried fish stockpiled, am to weak to string my bow, but I'm only eating half a fish a daily". Ding ding ding, I was watching to see people try to use their survival skills, not just outlast everyone else while sitting around starving or conserving energy/food. Not too surprising that my favorites were people expending the most energy - oh, and the dude who seemed to do the most, Fowler, ended up winning. I did record all the episodes and went back and watched after it was over, but was actually FF'ing through quite abit. I'll probably record a couple episodes and binge watch, read this forum and see what you all think, then decide whether to keep recording. It may be interesting to see if this new batch learned anything from the improved shelters shown last season,  but then no bamboo and different type of forest on the Island, and how many revert to the old equipment list of gillnet, no cordage, etc because of being on the coast with the tide washing all kinds of crappola onshore. Too bad, really, because I really enjoyed the first season. Seems every season after that it went further and further downhill. 

OK enough of the bad stuff - it could actually be interesting depending on how the show runners set things up. I mean, reading the little bit the online ALONE site has to say, 7 teams dropped off miles apart, trying to find each other and survive. Still 10 survival items, but the choices split between the team. Hey, are they going with the same basic choices? Still only 1 fire starter? If so, hope the poor sap with no ferro rod finds his team mate quickly - or can start a friction fire. Also, from what we've seen in the past, hauling around the camera gear is a major under taking - IIRC it was taking 2-3 trips to haul that stuff around, the ten picked items, and the sh#toad of crap everyone is given which doesn't count towards the 10 items. Then, with them acting as the camera crew, there's another couple trips - geez, if the pair is dropped 2 miles apart they may end up traveling 10 miles - even if they're handed a map with the best route marked.

Ah well, I'll find out in a couple weeks whether they've ruined the show for me or not - the overly dramatic preview clips I've seen are not promising, so I'm back to my starting statement, I may be a non viewer.

[piequinn35]

We are still gonna watch it, nothing to watch on Thursday night, TAR's season finale is next week, my other favorite shows had their season finale as well. lol

[Braveshoppr]

So I guess wolf whistling and banging of drum-type things is out of the question to alert the partner?

Reading what others are saying here , it doesn't surprise me if the producers attempt to emulate another show.  That's what they do.  I read (past tense) that Hollywood is running out of old movies they can remake. Rather than spend the money for new brains/talent for a production, stealing someone else's show and ideas is cheaper.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but it doesn't wear well on a t.v. screen. 

[humbleopinion]

Since Alone is back on VI, I would not allow any use of beach treasures.

Mike's re purposing of washed up beach finds gave him an advantage over the parts of the island with less trash, even though it was his ingenuity that made the sea garbage into a boat, his kitchen area.

Place the participants in the harshest season for weather on VI, it will separate the weak from the herd.

Less items and the same items for every team.

Challenges to let them win stock items if they meet conquer the challenge.

For example, at one of the medical check ups if they both can start their own friction fire within 30 minutes, they win a food ration or they can decline to participate.

Just something to entertain the viewers...watching participants waste away is a downer.

[peaceknit]

On 5/31/2017 at 9:31 AM, SRTouch said:

OK enough of the bad stuff - it could actually be interesting depending on how the show runners set things up. I mean, reading the little bit the online ALONE site has to say, 7 teams dropped off miles apart, trying to find each other and survive.

So....Naked and Afraid XL, with clothes. Gotcha.

[Quilt Fairy]

For those who haven't noticed, the Making the Cut show airs this Thursday, June 8th.

[SRTouch]

17 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

For those who haven't noticed, the Making the Cut show airs this Thursday, June 8th.

Thanks for the heads up. Even though I said I wouldn't watch until I read reviews, I do want to record the episodes - and watch this to see if what they say makes me want to watch.

[Whyyouneedaname]

53 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

For those who haven't noticed, the Making the Cut show airs this Thursday, June 8th.

thanks for that tid bit of info, I was anxiously waiting on the 15th and would have missed it :) 

[MostlyContent]

I'm really looking forward to seeing our new contestants tonight!   

It should be interesting to see how this new 'not alone' on Alone business shakes out.  At first the whole idea just pissed me off, but seeing them on the previews running around yelling for their partner looks kind of amusing!  

[Subrookie]

Couldn't they show it earlier than 10pm? Ugh. 

[ProfCrash]

So after a season where women rocked the experience, outlasted many of the men and one came in second only because she had lost too much weight, the new season has one woman. And she brought soap.

Yeah

[cooksdelight]

Didn't the show used to be on at nine pm? They are killing themselves with a 10 pm slot, as well as all the changes. ARGH....

[humbleopinion]

Guessing Tom, Marty, Eustace, Rich have a bigger following by the changing cast and changing of the show Alone, so they get the primest time slot.

[piequinn35]

I watched it at 7pm last night. :/ 

[dustoffmom]

I'm in Central Time zone, Tennessee.  It was on here at 2100 same as it has always been here.  For this viewer, there was nothing changed about the show time.  :(

[holly4755]

Well, I guess this is where this belongs, I am looking at the gear list and it really changed a lot

http://preview.history.com/shows/alone/articles/gear-list

I notice they got a toothbrush. I don't think they did the first year.

Edited June 16, 2017 by holly4755

[humbleopinion]

Nope, Allan showed us his bush brush made from a finely shredded end of a stick.

[muffkins]

On ‎2017‎-‎06‎-‎16 at 3:27 PM, holly4755 said:

Well, I guess this is where this belongs, I am looking at the gear list and it really changed a lot

http://preview.history.com/shows/alone/articles/gear-list

I notice they got a toothbrush. I don't think they did the first year.

Could you, or someone in the states, copy and paste the list.  Every time I try to go to history.com it defaults me to .ca, which doesn't have the same content as the US site.  Most annoying, and I can't seem to figure out how to stop it. Thanks.

[AZChristian]

CLOTHING/APPAREL/PERSONAL EFFECTS 

*These items do not count towards the 10 special items, but may not exceed the approved quota for each.

 1 pair high leg Hunting boots

1 Pair water shoes (crocs/sandals/keens)

1 T-shirt

2 fleece or wool shirts (hooded or unhooded)

1 wool sweater

3 pairs wool socks

2 hats (brimmed, wool or baseball)

1 bandana or shemagh or buff/face mask

2 Pairs of Gloves (one insulated and one leather work style glove)

2 pairs underwear

1 warm outdoor jacket

1 rain jacket

1 rain pant

1 pair thermal underwear (long top and bottom)

1 pair of gaiters

1 leather belt (or synthetic equivalent)

1 toothbrush

1 pair of eye glasses (with proof of prescription)

1 personal photograph

1 Multi-seasonal Sleeping Bag (should be a minimum of a -10 degrees Celsius rating and synthetic)

1 Fixed Blade Knife

1 Ferro Rod (must not be longer than 6in, and must have plastic handle)

 

SELECTION LIST

 *Each Team may select 10 items from the following list (5 items per person).

*Participants may only choose up to 2 Food items each.

*Non-Hunting Items are limited to 1 of each item listed per Teammate.

*The Hunting Items are limited to 1 of each item listed per Team.

  

Shelter

12x12 ground cloth/tarp (grommets approved)

8 mm climbing rope - 10M

550 parachord - 20m

1 hatchet

1 saw

1 ax

Bedding

1 bivi bag (Gore-Tex sleeping bag cover)

1 sleeping pad

1 hammock

Cooking

1 large pot (no more than 2 quarts; includes lid)

1 steel frying pan

1 enamel bowl for eating

1 spoon

1 canteen or water bottle

Hygiene

1 bar soap

1 8 oz tube of toothpaste

1 face flannel

1 40 m roll dental floss

1 small bottle bio shower soap

1 shaving razor (and 1 blade)

1 towel (30” x 60”)

1 comb

Hunting (Note: only 1 item can be chosen between each pair of participants)

1 300-yard roll of a single filament fishing line / 25 assorted Hooks (no lures)

1 primitive bow + 6x arrows (must be predominately made of wood)

1 small gauge gill net (12' x 4' with 1.5" mesh)

1 slingshot/catapult + 30 steel ball bearings + 1 replacement band

1 net foraging bag

1 3.5 lb roll of trapping wire

3 lbs of one solid block of salt

Food

2 lbs of beef jerky (protein)

2 lbs of dried pulses/legumes/lentils mix (starch and carbs)

2 lbs of biltong (protein)

2 lbs of hard tack military biscuits (carbs/sugars)

2 lbs of chocolate (Simple/complex sugars)

2 lbs of pemmican (traditional trail food made from fat and proteins)

2 lbs of gorp (raisins, m&m's and peanuts)

2 lbs of flour (starch/carbs)

1/3 lbs rice/ 1/3 lb sugar / 1/3 lb of salt

Tools

1 pocket knife

1 Leatherman multi-tool or similar

1 sharpening stone

1 roll of duct tape or 1 roll of electrical tape

1 small shovel

1 small sewing kit

1 carabineer

1 LED flashlight

1 pair of ice spikes

   

NAVIGATIONAL AID

 *This will be provided by Producer to the Hiker and will be removed once a team is reunited.

Compass and compass bearing

[muffkins]

Thank you very much, and so quickly too!

[AZChristian]

Just now, muffkins said:

Thank you very much, and so quickly too!

You lucked out and caught me at my computer.  Happy to help.  We love Canada!!!  Planning to do the zipline on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls in August.

[muffkins]

Pretty fond of it myself.  That zipline thing sounds fun.  I'm trying to convince my husband to do a 2 or 3 week cross country trip, but he's not going for it.  Wants to go down the Washington and Oregon coast instead, as its closer,  We'll probably end up doing neither though, as we'll debate until its too late to plan anything, and then just go visit his family in Quesnel.  Where we will most likely go camping, just to keep it on sort of topic.  It's much easier camping than the north end of the Island, but if you wait until the end of summer, it starts dipping below zero at night.  But it is dry, with no real undergrowth, so much easier to deal with.

[ClareWalks]

According to the episode synopses in the episode threads, 

Spoiler

it's going to take FIVE EPISODES for these effers to find each other? Dear god.

[roamyn]

On 6/21/2017 at 10:12 AM, ClareWalks said:

According to the episode synopses in the episode threads, 

  Hide contents

it's going to take FIVE EPISODES for these effers to find each other? Dear god.

Well, Jesse was only a mile from his brother, but if they have to medivac Shannon out, then Jesse made great time for nothing,

And why complain?  Almost everyone was complaining that teams means not Alone, but if they're alone for five episodes, then everyone got most of their wish.

[ClareWalks]

5 hours ago, roamyn said:

And why complain?  Almost everyone was complaining that teams means not Alone, but if they're alone for five episodes, then everyone got most of their wish.

I wasn't complaining about that, so... My concern is that they are going to drag too much on this, editing-wise.