S04.E06: Thicker Than Water

[simplyme]

21 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

The only non-camper to tap out was the guy who really hurt himself, right?

Shannon was actually the camper in that pairing, too. Jesse was hauling butt to get to him. It just seems like Shannon could have been a hiker because he was, you know, useful and knowledgable (if a klutz).

3 minutes ago, pagooey said:

Here's hoping they've learned not to mess with success, because this season's concept is a total dud. 

I hope they're also making whoever was in charge of casting sit in the corner while wearing a dunce cap.

[zibnchy]

Not quite two weeks and 5 of 8 teams have tapped. That's a failure no matter how you slice it.

So I was thinking about the show this morning. Remember last night one of the Bairds (I think) mentioned his sleeping bag and pants were soaked because of the rapidly rising water? This is a legit emergency situation because, obviously, if you can't get dry you can't get warm out there. So, other that a bit f talking, we never actually saw them doing anything to rectify it, did we? I think they put a tarp down (exactly how many tarps do they have anyway?) but did they do anything to dry out the wet stuff. I assume they did but we never saw if. Did they really just put a tarp down and not actually, you know, move the shelter away from the water? That's one of my beefs with the show now, we aren't really seeing any surviving. Honestly, it seems like more of a fishing and griping show this time.

I was also thinking about the inherent advantage Dave and Brooke have over the other teams. They can um, warm each other up, in ways the other teams are not likely to take advantage of. So to speak. I assume that also gives them a mental advantage of having the company of one of the people a person might be inclined to miss most, aka spouse.

[TVbitch]

I have more respect for the kid who just said, "Fuck it! This sucks! I can't do it!!" and started crying.  If you are going to puss out, then puss out. Pulling the "family first noble tap" bullshit after two weeks is not fooling anyone. 

[Auntie Anxiety]

38 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

I have more respect for the kid who just said, "Fuck it! This sucks! I can't do it!!" and started crying.  If you are going to puss out, then puss out. Pulling the "family first noble tap" bullshit after two weeks is not fooling anyone. 

I agree with you but I do find it fascinating to watch them do the rationalization exercise. It validates my view of human nature.

[riverheightsnancy]

Did anyone notice that Brooke and Dave are 4.3 miles next to another team (I think the big-butt bros), with is little more than HALF the amount that the hikers had to hike. They could technically run into each other!  ( I know that they have places that they have been told that they cannot breech, but it shows how damn far the hike was). 

[holly4755]

1 hour ago, meep.meep said:

Is there a list somewhere of everything/one you have to thank?  In case I ever go on the show, I guess I need to get it all straight.  I haven't noticed anyone thanking the fish.  Or the crabs.  Or the limpets.  Isn't that speciest?

 

Nichole always apologized to the salmon when she cut their heads off, saying she was trying to do it as quick as possible so they don;'t hurt as much. She used to have massive apologies to them,  I don't think the others all did. I know Larry did a little dead mouse dance before he cooked them, not apology there, just AHA gotcha!

[mlp]

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Is there a list somewhere of everything/one you have to thank?

I don't get that either.  It's already dead.  And not capable of understanding an apology even if it were still alive.  It's meaningless but it must make the "hunter"  feel better or something.

[crabatha]

I can't add much to what's already been said, & ITA with most of it. This season's show has been a total bust....except for Brooke. Love her. 

Another stupid tap out last night. Who wants to bet that most of the guys who whined that they missed their families, are pretty shitty to them in RL? Their S.O. at home might've been thinking 'whaaat?' 

Anyway, as I recall, Chris said to Brody "WE HAVE TO GET YOU HOME!", like he was doing Brody some enormous favor. What a loser, & with such obvious manipulation. I was impressed though, when Brody said 'the relationship I have w/ my brother is more important than the show'....but I still felt badly for him. Chris was too much of a coward to just say that he didn't want to be there anymore.

I'm a softie, & last night The Big Butt Brothers were raised a peg. Well, not both of them, just Jim...the one who wasn't puking. He'd said something like his main priority was to nurture & care for his brother because he believes that he is his brother's keeper. Aw.... That was nice, & maybe because of that, he was rewarded with a full belly! I felt bad for the duck, but even Brooke would've killed it.

[rmontro]

1 hour ago, mlp said:

I don't get that either.  It's already dead.  And not capable of understanding an apology even if it were still alive.  It's meaningless but it must make the "hunter"  feel better or something.

I don't think it's so much about apologizing to the animal.  I think it's more about simply recognizing that you took its life in order to eat, and respecting that.  Because you're not a sociopath.  And no, it isn't a human, but don't forget a lot of serial killers start out by killing animals.  It's appropriate to be grateful and appreciative for what you are able to harvest.

[raven]

10 minutes ago, rmontro said:

 I think it's more about simply recognizing that you took its life in order to eat, and respecting that.  Because you're not a sociopath.  

I don't think it makes you a sociopath if you don't thank/apologize to the animal.   As long as you kill it quickly and are killing because you need to and aren't wasteful with the animal, and doing so with the least amount of suffering, I am OK with it.  I don't want to see it because it bothers me even though I eat meat.    Both Brooke and the Baird brother killed their birds quickly so I appreciated that.

I like the rapport between the father/son team (Pete and Sam, had to look it up).  Brooke is obviously a doer but she should rest a bit if she's hungry/not feeling well.  Dave looks fresh as a daisy and she's been working hard, no shame in getting your strength back. 

Chris and Brody...ugh, you all have already said it.  How disappointing for Brody. 

1 hour ago, crabatha said:

He'd said something like his main priority was to nurture & care for his brother because he believes that he is his brother's keeper.

I liked that too but then these two don't bother me.  They seem to get along well with some brotherly ball busting.  If they can find enough food to sustain themselves, they certainly do seem ready to hunker down.

Two weeks????  I look at as we are down to three people, since you only need one to tap.  I don't know if it's so much the team theme as the casting.  Very disappointing. 

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, rmontro said:

I don't get that either.  It's already dead.  And not capable of understanding an apology even if it were still alive.  It's meaningless but it must make the "hunter"  feel better or something.

Seems like I've heard that mentioned in stories about Native American life, and it's basically that you only take from nature and the animal kingdom what you need.  You don't get greedy.  I have heard avid hunters say the same thing. 

 

1 hour ago, raven said:

Two weeks????  I look at as we are down to three people, since you only need one to tap.  I don't know if it's so much the team theme as the casting.  Very disappointing. 

Seriously.  Also, the pattern here is that it's the ones that didn't hike through hell that are mentally checking out (except for the injured guy.)  I'd be furious to have hiked 10 miles through that terrain,  just to have my partner say they can't take it any longer.  In his defense though, his family wasn't supportive of him being on the show, so that was weighing on his mind from the beginning.  On the other hand, with or without the support from home, then you go into this show understanding the fact that you might just miss a birthday or some other event for 2 or 3 months.  IMO, that's a small price to pay for a possible payout of $500,000.  YMMV. 

[Quilt Fairy]

8 hours ago, zibnchy said:

Not quite two weeks and 5 of 8 teams have tapped. That's a failure no matter how you slice it.

So I was thinking about the show this morning. Remember last night one of the Bairds (I think) mentioned his sleeping bag and pants were soaked because of the rapidly rising water? This is a legit emergency situation because, obviously, if you can't get dry you can't get warm out there. So, other that a bit f talking, we never actually saw them doing anything to rectify it, did we? I think they put a tarp down (exactly how many tarps do they have anyway?) but did they do anything to dry out the wet stuff. I assume they did but we never saw if. Did they really just put a tarp down and not actually, you know, move the shelter away from the water? That's one of my beefs with the show now, we aren't really seeing any surviving. Honestly, it seems like more of a fishing and griping show this time.

I was also thinking about the inherent advantage Dave and Brooke have over the other teams. They can um, warm each other up, in ways the other teams are not likely to take advantage of. So to speak. I assume that also gives them a mental advantage of having the company of one of the people a person might be inclined to miss most, aka spouse.

It's actually 4 out of 7.  Seven seems such an odd number.  I don't know why they didn't have at least 8-10 teams.

I haven't haunted the History website like I did in past seasons and IIRC History hasn't been as forthcoming with information as they were before, but I think that they get 2 tarps that are not counted against their 10 items.  One of the Bros mentioned that the "other" tarp they retrieved  to use as a ground cover had been out as a fresh water catch.

How many thousands of people applied and they came up with this group?  Totally unacceptable. They need to do better psychological and situational testing.  1)You WILL be away from home for an extended period.  2)You WILL miss birthdays and other important occasions.  3)You're trying to WIN $500K, we need you to TRY HARD.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Quilt Fairy

[Auntie Anxiety]

When the older bro presented his case to the younger bro, it wasn't as if younger bro really had a choice. What would be the point of staying out there with someone who doesn't want to be there? Every day would end up in a debate about leaving, when something inevitably failed (hunting, fishing, whatever) the thought of self-sabotage would rear its ugly head and their relationship would suffer. One more reason why the producers should have allowed singletons to participate.

[mlp]

Quote

 It's appropriate to be grateful and appreciative for what you are able to harvest.

I agree with all the comments including taking only what you need and using what you take.  I just didn't fault the brothers for not expressing their thanks for the food out loud to the duck so we could all hear it.

[lidarose9]

This show completely sucks. Let me count the ways:

1. The show is called "Alone." These people are not alone. The whole premise is now fucked up. They should change the name to "Together".

2. They picked terrible pairs. The only couple that seems remotely up to this is the father-son team and the married couple. (Like others, I can't be bothered to even learn their names.) I predict the ginger brothers will not last cuz they will get into ego battles. Whoever was responsible for choosing the contestants really screwed up. 

3. These people act like they've never seen this show before. All this horrorstuck anxiety about a typical blustery autumn day. Did we not know this would be terrible weather & nonstop downpours? That everything would be soggy 24/7? Did we not know the fish don't bite this time of year? Did we not think about high tides and flooding (especially after last season's experiences)? Did we seriously think we were going to last under a tarp for X months? Not only do these people act like weekend state park campers, they seem completely blindsided by Vancouver Island. 

4. As soon as the Ginger guy started building a boat, I knew he hadn't watched the show before. We all know what happens to the guys who build boats. 

5. Whatever happened to his boat project anyhow? That seemed to just disappear. 

6. So far we've seen nearly NO details about survival strategies. The most interesting part of the show is MIA. When I think back to the way past contestants have come up with inventive solutions to problems, it makes these people look like a bunch of amateurs. (Exception the married couple who seem to be the only people actually qualified to be doing this.) 

I'll keep watching, but WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT. 

[Quilt Fairy]

5 minutes ago, lidarose9 said:

5. Whatever happened to his boat project anyhow? That seemed to just disappear. 

I believe the boat makes an appearance in the next episode.

[holly4755]

the boat project is on next week. doesn't look too stable, this was shown at the end of this weeks show. 

Watching this show in an arm chair and being there are always two different things,  Apparently it is not unfamiliarity with the show but unfamiliarity with themselves, not knowing how uncomfortable they would be, how hard it is not to eat. believe me I know about not eating and the pain, I went on an ocean sailing trip and was seasick for days, very hungry, but nothing would stay down, forced down water though.  Had to sleep outside on a hard deck in oilskins, because below deck did not work for me.  No choice in tapping out , once you are on the way, thankfully no medical emergency. 

Edited July 22, 2017 by holly4755

[SRTouch]

12 hours ago, lidarose9 said:

3. These people act like they've never seen this show before. All this horrorstuck anxiety about a typical blustery autumn day. Did we not know this would be terrible weather & nonstop downpours? That everything would be soggy 24/7?

Totally agree that some of them act blindsided by things previous seasons should have made obvious... going back to the early Tapout where the one camper is wandering in the woods spraining an ankle an hour away from the beach, and the hiker who only made it 3 tenths of a mile hunkering down in his temporary shelter on day two because it was raining.

Quote

Did we not know the fish don't bite this time of year? Did we not think about high tides and flooding (especially after last season's experiences)? Did we seriously think we were going to last under a tarp for X months? Not only do these people act like weekend state park campers, they seem completely blindsided by Vancouver Island. 

Again obvious from previous seasons. Oh, and let's not forget this week when the one Baird Bro offered this pearl of wisdom... when your shelter doesn't have any walls the cold wind sucks all the warmth right out of your shelter (duh!) 

Quote

4. As soon as the Ginger guy started building a boat, I knew he hadn't watched the show before. We all know what happens to the guys who build boats. 

Well, to be fair, Lucas was fairly successful with his boat in season 1, and we've seen a couple rafts cobbled together and put to good use.

Quote

5. Whatever happened to his boat project anyhow? That seemed to just disappear. 

Apparently it will be back next week... or maybe not, IIRC it took weeks of watching previews of Jose capsizing before he actually did.

Quote

6. So far we've seen nearly NO details about survival strategies. The most interesting part of the show is MIA. When I think back to the way past contestants have come up with inventive solutions to problems, it makes these people look like a bunch of amateurs. (Exception the married couple who seem to be the only people actually qualified to be doing this.) 

One thing I noted this week ... the married couple, who have by far the best shelter (actually the only shelter made by the camper while waiting for the hiker), is starting work on a new and improved shelter. I just hope Brooke isn't overdoing and about to burn out as the previews seem to imply.

Ok, we didn't see him do it, but apparently Pops had a good shelter started before Sam showed up, just maybe not in a very good location - as others said already, why didn't they start making plans to relocate after almost flooding out. Going back to folks not learning from previous seasons, more and bigger storms are on the way - well, if they last past the third week.

Edited July 22, 2017 by SRTouch

[Kelda Feegle]

Almost everything I felt and wanted to say has already been articulated, except ... call me a survival expert because I'm pretty sure that if you put a stick in the ground at the edge of the tidal water you can tell if it is still coming up or receding - you know instead of leaning out of the tarped roof and wondering coz you can't tell! Yep a stick in the ground as a marker - pretty sure that makes me Bear Grylls or something.

[Snarklepuss]

14 hours ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

This show has gone from sublime to ridiculous in record time. First of all, it has gotten quite boring. Second of all, the whining about missing one's family after less than TWO friggin' weeks? Are you kidding me? When I think about all the soldiers stationed overseas who are not only missing their kids' birthdays but worrying about getting injured or killed, it makes the Southern Brothers look like whining babies (even though younger bro appeared pissed that older bro is a wuss). Third, did I mention how boring this has become?

I know - Again, being from a different generation, my father missed my actual birth because he was stationed at a military base in another state with the Army Reserve.  He often missed my birthday as a kid because of that since my birthday was when he would be away at "summer camp".  I never felt deprived, only proud that he served his country with such distinction at the end of WWII and post WWII, and then in the Reserve as a Captain and teacher of Signal Corps.  But we were raised back then to value things greater than ourselves so perhaps that's why I find all this guilt heaping about missing a daughter's birthday to really be a cover for what is actually selfishness.  This guy trying to sell that guilt trip on his brother as if he's thinking of HIM and his DAUGHTER was so transparently self-serving it made me mad! 

14 hours ago, rmontro said:

ANOTHER camper taps out.  That's four for four.  The theory that the weaker contestant was given the camper position has to be true. 

Thank you, that was my theory.  It also makes sense because how many of these pairs are going to have the same skill level or desire to be out there for any length of time?  It's obvious already from the way they're interacting that one of them (probably the one with better skills who did the hiking) pretty much begged the other one to come along to be their team mate.  It's not setting up a level field from the get-go so of course the weaker link of the two is going to check out and cave in much earlier than the more talented one.  Which REALLY sucks because the one that had a chance of making it is the one being told they can't continue due to no fault of their own.  I hope they have a season with the people that had to leave because of their partners. 

I agree with everyone else that this season is a total bust.  What is interesting, though, is that the people left all seem to be a little more evenly matched in terms of talent and desire to be there, especially the married couple.  But that still isn't the reason they should win.  It shouldn't come down to teamwork on a show called "Alone".  Otherwise they should call it "Team", LOL.

[walnutqueen]

RAIN.  It's a 4 letter word all these people should know by now.

SHELTER - apparently 2 syllables is too much for most of them.

SERIOUSLY!?! - is my most oft utterance while watching this season (well, besides the "are you fucking kidding me with this shit" phrase).

le sigh.

[Chit Chat]

Quote

Honestly, it seems like more of a fishing and griping show this time.

You nailed it!  I'm wondering how much usable footage some of these pairs actually got.  Some of it looks like a desperate attempt by the producers to make a full weekly episode.  They might be scraping the barrel for footage.   I do like the attempt by Brooke & her husband to make a cabin.  That's impressive!  It is risky though for them to be expending so much energy, but it gives them something to pass the time with.

[Liberty]

57 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

You nailed it!  I'm wondering how much usable footage some of these pairs actually got.  Some of it looks like a desperate attempt by the producers to make a full weekly episode.  They might be scraping the barrel for footage.  

I am insulted when they show me the cliffhanger after the advertisements that they used to tease me to keep watching.  It does double the time value of the clip as you mention.

 

Quote

I do like the attempt by Brooke & her husband to make a cabin.  That's impressive!  It is risky though for them to be expending so much energy, but it gives them something to pass the time with.

Wonder if they knew there were only 2 other pairs left if they would be putting forth the effort .  Here it's something like day 15, and they may be thinking this will go on as long as last season.  They seem like they would do it because they value preparation and like to be busy.

[cooksdelight]

Yeah, I'd be wanting to pay attention to the sound of boats or helicopters at this point. And I'd be pisssed off if I built a small cabin only to be told "Time's up!"

[Chit Chat]

9 minutes ago, Liberty said:

They seem like they would do it because they value preparation and like to be busy.

Brooke's husband said that having 4 walls really helps psychologically.  It would make me feel better, especially with the amount of rain they're getting.  They might need to build an ark!   I remember  some of the previews a couple of episodes ago showed somebody cutting themselves pretty badly when cleaning a fish, and somebody possibly passing out.   I will be very disappointed if any of them have an injury or get pulled due to the weight loss.  It's a real pisser to know you could go on, but an injury forces you out. 

[humbleopinion]

Brooke would be better showcased in the original format. She can do it all...Alone.

 Dave's "what a woman" comments grate...we see that she is a hard worker and tough competitor, his comments diminish. Shut up Dave.

Brooke's shelter had a back wall so it could have been upgraded with 3 other walls...

But Dave wants a cabin of his design...

Anyone else detect competitive tension between Brooke and Dave?

Totally understand why Sam is so awesome, having a dad like Pete who is so proud of him and in his unassuming way given Sam the love and passion for the outdoors.

Pete is every adult who has taken the time to show a child the outdoors.

An uncle who buys you a child's fishing pole and reel and take you to a local lake for a release program.

An aunt who takes you to the butterfly exhibit.

Grandparent who helps you set up a bed sheet to tie between two trees or help you pound poles and string to make a pup tent.

A cousin who lets you tag along as he and his buddies hike to a secret swimming and fishing hole.

A sibling who shows you how to punch holes in a jar's lid so you can keep a bug in your room to examine, put leaves and a stick to see it in a habitat.

A teacher who has a turtle in the classroom who is a weekend guest to each child's house.

Pete and Sam are the kind of dream team that the Alone producers imagined...not the wusses they actually selected in casting.

[holly4755]

8 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

 

  It's obvious already from the way they're interacting that one of them (probably the one with better skills who did the hiking) pretty much begged the other one to come along to be their team mate.  It's not setting up a level field from the get-go so of course the weaker link of the two is going to check out and cave in much earlier than the more talented one.  Which REALLY sucks because the one that had a chance of making it is the one being told they can't continue due to no fault of their own.  I hope they have a season with the people that had to leave because of their partners. 

 

The last team to back out the camper was the one that recruited his brother, he wanted them to spend some time together, he wanted to go even though his family did not want him to go, and then he backs out because he values his family over money. So he sends his brother to the the trek of death while waiting for him in camp doing nothing. Was he the one who wanted to know what food his brother was going to bring? Sounds like a spoiled brat. Did nothing while waiting except mourn about missing the family he turned his back on. ,  

The other camper working on things while waiting was Shannon the Klutz. I don't know if his brother recruited him or if it was his Idea, probably recruited. 

[Auntie Anxiety]

2 hours ago, ChitChat said:

You nailed it!  I'm wondering how much usable footage some of these pairs actually got.  Some of it looks like a desperate attempt by the producers to make a full weekly episode.  They might be scraping the barrel for footage. 

This actually makes a lot of sense to me. Because they are paired with someone, there is less incentive to set up the camera and use it as "companionship" to bounce ideas off of, basically talking to yourself out loud; the camera becomes more of a footnote. 

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, humbleopinion said:

Dave's "what a woman" comments grate...we see that she is a hard worker and tough competitor, his comments diminish. Shut up Dave

While I respect your opinion about his comment, I didn't take it as an insult.  That was high praise in my book!  He  said several times how much he loves her.  I think he appreciates her can-do attitude, and her being tough as nails!

 

1 hour ago, humbleopinion said:

Anyone else detect competitive tension between Brooke and Dave?

Not really.  I think they're both doing what they do best.  I find it interesting watching them build their little cabin.  That's not something I know how to do, so watching them explain it is something I find interesting.  I just hope they don't wear themselves out building it!

Edited July 22, 2017 by ChitChat

[riverheightsnancy]

Now, now guys. The last tap-out really was missing his family. It hasn't been just 2 weeks, it actually has been 4 weeks because they have had 2 weeks of training. so, 2 + 2 = 4!  So we should have more sympathy for these people missing their families! It has been so long! (sarcasm).  

[walnutqueen]

16 minutes ago, riverheightsnancy said:

Now, now guys. The last tap-out really was missing his family. It hasn't been just 2 weeks, it actually has been 4 weeks because they have had 2 weeks of training. so, 2 + 2 = 4!  So we should have more sympathy for these people missing their families! It has been so long! (sarcasm).  

Yes!  I guess he's had enough bonding with his bro, eh?!  ;-)

[ClareWalks]

I also don't see the "what a woman" comments as anything but total awe and love. He clearly really respects and appreciates her as a true partner.

[Chit Chat]

2 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

So we should have more sympathy for these people missing their families! It has been so long! (sarcasm).  

Lol!  I hated that the one brother (non-hiker) turned it all around on his brother so as to make him start thinking the same way, but he (hiker)  said in his TH that he wanted to stay, so I give him credit for trying to stay strong.  Too bad he couldn't convince his brother to hang in there a little while longer.   My hubby's Dad was in the military.  Going for months at a time not seeing him was normal.  He shakes his head in disbelief as these people cave after 15 days.  Yeah, it's tough, but you cope, especially if there's a freakin' $500,000 prize to be had!!

[cooksdelight]

3 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

Brooke's shelter had a back wall so it could have been upgraded with 3 other walls...

But Dave wants a cabin of his design...

Anyone else detect competitive tension between Brooke and Dave?

I posted a while back that the two would start bickering over their shelter. Brooke's wouldn't be good enough for Dave. :)

[Chit Chat]

I remember someone posting early on that the latest ones that tapped out would probably do so because they missed their family.  Funny how we see these things coming a mile away!  

 

15 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I posted a while back that the two would start bickering over their shelter. Brooke's wouldn't be good enough for Dave. :)

I didn't see them bickering, but maybe I missed it.  Hopefully that's not the case, otherwise I will be very disappointed in Dave if he had anything negative to say to Brooke about her original shelter.  I think he just wanted something to keep him busy.  They both seemed excited about the little cabin.  I hope their marriage remains intact throughout this show.

Edited July 22, 2017 by ChitChat

[cooksdelight]

2 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

I remember someone posting early on that the latest ones that tapped out would probably do so because they missed their family

I did, others may have also. All that footage of them with their families told me they were goners.

[Liberty]

15 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

 Yeah, it's tough, but you cope, especially if there's a freakin' $500,000 prize to be had!!

The quitter said his 'family will know I chose them over money' which only make sense if his family would vanish when he receives his winnings.  If he were talented enough to win, winning would not mean his family would vanish.

[Chit Chat]

I had a weird feeling about either the first or second one that tapped out.  I think it was the blacksmiths.  When I saw them on the preview show I had a feeling they wouldn't make it.  Now I can't remember exactly who that was!  I'm doing good to remember the remaining ones! 

[cooksdelight]

If he chose his family over the winnings....he would have stayed home and let someone more dedicated take his place.

[Chit Chat]

1 minute ago, Liberty said:

The quitter said his 'family will know I chose them over money' which only make sense if his family would vanish when he receives his winnings.

If I were strong enough to so something like this, I can guarantee that nobody in my family would want me to choose them over $500,000!!  They'd say something like, we'll see you in just a few months.  No problem!  I don't see my family much as it is.  My parents live 600 miles in one direction, and my son lives 2500 in the other, so being apart from family is normal for us.  Can I get at least $100,000 for being "alone" in our city! lol.

[Drogo]

13 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I posted a while back that the two would start bickering over their shelter. Brooke's wouldn't be good enough for Dave. :)

I don't see Dave thinking this at all. He seems to have nothing but admiration and praise for Brooke. 

[humbleopinion]

Chris is still explaining himself to his friends and family his boneheaded decision to put the onus on Brody.

Wonder if Brody will call Chris on his bullshit at the reunion show.

 

 Brooke's over doing it by carrying the large rocks, not asking Dave for a hand even though she feels weak ...some pent up resentment?

Just playing devil's advocate for conversation sake...

[Auntie Anxiety]

I've been thinking about how the different kinds of relationships that the last three pairs have (brothers, parental, spousal) lead to different pros and cons. I believe Pete wants to be a good role model for Sam and considers this a legacy trip. Brooke and Dave have been married a long while, spend time together every day, know how to deal with each other from so much shared experience in their daily lives. The Canadian brothers have their own dynamic and relationship skills ("No, you are." "Nah, nah, nah, boo, boo.").

[SRTouch]

14 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

I had a weird feeling about either the first or second one that tapped out.  I think it was the blacksmiths.  When I saw them on the preview show I had a feeling they wouldn't make it.  Now I can't remember exactly who that was!  I'm doing good to remember the remaining ones! 

Not much difference in the first two taps, as they both were looking for a reason to tap as soon as they were dropped off. I don't doubt that it would be easy to twist/sprain an ankle in that terrain, but have my doubts that an injury was the real reason the dude tapped. Other dude just wasn't in the game from the get go, almost like those dude's from the early seasons who freaked at the sight of bears.

[rmontro]

18 hours ago, raven said:

I don't think it makes you a sociopath if you don't thank/apologize to the animal.  

I don't think it makes you a sociopath either, as long as you are aware of the significance of taking a life.  I just think the thanks/apologies are symbolic of the appreciation of that sacrifice.  I'm sure it doesn't make any difference to the duck one way or the other.  But by the same token, if someone does choose to thank the animal, I'm not going to be critical of it.    

[SRTouch]

The Wilkes brothers' Tap Out Q&A page is now on the History site  http://www.history.com/shows/alone/blog/misc/tap-out-qa-chris-and-brody-wilkes Good grief, dude says he made the decision to quit on day three, on his daughter's BD, and was just waiting for hiker bro, Brody, to finish the hike so he could tell him.... Reading the Q&A, Chris really comes off looking like a self absorbed pr*ck, while Brody is doing his best not to go off on him. Last question is what did they learn from the experience. Chris is spinning the experience into this wonderful learning experience where he learned love of family is all important, yada yada. Here's what Brody had to say: "This is not something you want to experience with a family member as this was not a family vacation. After the first day, the adrenaline had slowed down and I became very calm and focused on the task at hand, so I became very comfortable with being alone in the mountains. This is when I had the best rest and reflection of my experience. When I arrived at the base camp, my reflection was distorted by my brother’s experience. Your partner can really have an effect on various components of your own journey including your mood." 

Edited July 23, 2017 by SRTouch

[mlp]

Quote

 I posted a while back that the two would start bickering over their shelter. Brooke's wouldn't be good enough for Dave. :)

I don't think it was a question of "not good enough," just a fact that a cabin would indeed be an improvement and safer.  I'm sure Brooke told him about the wolves.  Dave was almost rapturous over Brooke's shelter when he arrived from his hike exhausted, dirty and hungry.  He praised her shelter with a soft bed and a fire.  Now they're working together to build something more comfortable for the long haul.  The only tension I've noticed was the time she screamed when she caught a fish and scared him because he thought something bad happened.

Although I'm impressed with Dave and Brooke, my favorites are Pete and Sam.  I hope they win.

[SRTouch]

4 minutes ago, mlp said:

Although I'm impressed with Dave and Brooke, my favorites are Pete and Sam.  I hope they win.

I good with either of those teams. Baird brothers not so much, but I wonder if my dislike for them may not be the editing. As with every season, what we're watching is what the editors decide to show us out of countless hours of video. We know the Baird built a boat, so the idea that their shelter is just a tarp with no walls seems ludicrous. I remember in the previous seasons where the editors have shown stuff out of sequence. So, even while I'm posting asking why just a tarp, or why Sam and Pete didn't move their shelter after almost being flooded, I'm wondering if the editors are playing games.

[rmontro]

28 minutes ago, mlp said:

I don't think it was a question of "not good enough," just a fact that a cabin would indeed be an improvement and safer.  I'm sure Brooke told him about the wolves.  Dave was almost rapturous over Brooke's shelter when he arrived from his hike exhausted, dirty and hungry.  He praised her shelter with a soft bed and a fire.  Now they're working together to build something more comfortable for the long haul. 

Not sure they're going to need a cabin for the long haul, because the way things are going, three weeks might be enough to win this thing lol.

No, that was just a joke.  Seriously, I think the pairs we have left may be around awhile.  If I were to guess, the Brockforffs (father and son) will be the next to go.  Not because they're weak, but because I think it's going to come down to the Bairds and the Whipples (unless Brooke's low weight causes problems, as some suggested early on).   I know the Bairds aren't well liked on the board, but I could see them winning.  They had what, 16 fish for supper this last episode, plus the duck for breakfast?  I'm sure they're not going to be able to continue finding food at that rate, but still.  I'm rooting for the Whipples though.

[Snarklepuss]

4 hours ago, holly4755 said:

The last team to back out the camper was the one that recruited his brother, he wanted them to spend some time together, he wanted to go even though his family did not want him to go, and then he backs out because he values his family over money. So he sends his brother to the the trek of death while waiting for him in camp doing nothing. Was he the one who wanted to know what food his brother was going to bring? Sounds like a spoiled brat. Did nothing while waiting except mourn about missing the family he turned his back on. , 

Sure this guy recruited the other one but he was still the less talented one, and the one that stayed at camp and the one that wanted to back out first.  So except for the twist of him being the recruiter, it still follows the rule.  But he was one of those manipulative table turning guys that makes all the decisions but wants to make it look like he's doing it for the other person's own good!

4 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

Pete is every adult who has taken the time to show a child the outdoors.An uncle who buys you a child's fishing pole and reel and take you to a local lake for a release program.

An aunt who takes you to the butterfly exhibit.

Grandparent who helps you set up a bed sheet to tie between two trees or help you pound poles and string to make a pup tent.

A cousin who lets you tag along as he and his buddies hike to a secret swimming and fishing hole.

A sibling who shows you how to punch holes in a jar's lid so you can keep a bug in your room to examine, put leaves and a stick to see it in a habitat.

A teacher who has a turtle in the classroom who is a weekend guest to each child's house.

Man, I had the same thought!  My father was just telling me who his was - He was none other than Richard Konter, an older man who went with Admiral Byrd on his expeditions to the Arctic.  He became like my dad's big brother, teaching him survival skills and also radio stuff when my dad was a teenager.  Of course even back then my grandmother had him checked out to make sure he wasn't some kind of predator, LOL, and of course he checked out.  When my dad was in the army no one could get over how this nerdy "4 eyes" from Brooklyn had such fantastic survival skills, LOL.