S05.E02: The Haunting

[humbleopinion]

In the past seasons of Alone, previews shown on an episode was open for discussion...

Nicole faltering at her shelter with her voice over commentary was shown as a tease on the show....

What say you, Drogo...

[Drogo]

As preview talk generally devolves into speculation and takes the discussion off the rails, it's frowned upon.

[dustoffmom]

So, frowned upon or verboten?

[seasick]

On 6/23/2018 at 10:10 AM, OoogleEyes said:

AND .. did Dave film himself when he was living out of his truck?? Tells me all I need to know about YOU, buddy 

In fairness to Dave they do a little background films on all the contestants so pretty sure the show did it.  Have to say I thought his little double-decker arrangement with the bed elevated in the back of his truck was clever. i admit I have a bit of gypsy soul myself  ;)

 

15 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

would have rather seen people who had an unfortunate issue and had to tap early in the run or people who tapped earlier than the 3 mentioned due to a health issue

I would have liked to see those who tapped for injuries  but I'm thinking that they may have had trouble just getting these 10.   

 I don't think Randy belongs here. And Brad was the cute young eye candy if they did have a choice of contestants.     And although I looked forward to this season, I admit I'm bored so far--partly  because we know their history of resolve and the  crappy editing once again.   . 

  And if they use THREE EPISODES just for introductions it doesn't bode well for the season. 

They spoil the hell out of this show,,there's no avoiding it.  I hope they don't spoil every tap-out.   I sure hope things pick up..

**Also thanks to those who gave me the info on the multi-tools.  

[seasick]

Much of the fun of the show and the forum IS the speculating..because it's a contest with a winner.   And I'm pretty sure that's the point of the teasers and spoilers that the show  puts out there.   I hate them but they are part of the production as 'coming attractions"

[ClareWalks]

Perhaps a Speculation thread would be good for the Alone forum? I see the mod's point that it isn't really discussing the specific episode. But it is definitely fun to speculate :)

[Kennek]

Love the show but..... was it really necessary to to cast Larry again??? Surely something is not right upstairs and I cant see random rantings  adding anything to improve the show or ratings.

[Juliegirlj]

I feel like along with survival training and camera training the contestants were all coached on being entertaining this season. Some of them were funny but it feels less organic than previous seasons. 

Dave is either crazy enough to stay out there no matter what, OR, he is too mentally unstable to be out there- time will tell. 

This episode was rather boring in my opinion. Too many recaps and bad editing and not enough actual survival footage. 

[riverheightsnancy]

I agree with Juliegirlj. They totally spoil the show with the excessive recaps and what's coming next. I guess that water was not an issue for any of them, as they didn't even mention it at all for anyone that I can recall. I am liking Britt and really looking forward to seeing more of the women. Hoping for a woman to win this time around. 

[Charlesman]

9 hours ago, Kennek said:

Love the show but..... was it really necessary to to cast Larry again??? Surely something is not right upstairs and I cant see random rantings  adding anything to improve the show or ratings.

The guys on the Alone podcast made a fair point... The show isn't out to cast the ten best bushmasters and see how they do... That would make for boring TV. They are out to make the best show. 

Also, they were pretty hard on Brad. Brought up that we've never seen in any season snares work to catch more than the occasional mouse. Setting up 40 dinky looking ones, then not catching anything in a few days then deciding to go home was pretty weak. Every season comes down to finding something small in your area that you can rely on. Even fish don't get the job done, eventually they're gone. Living off limpets, slugs, the two brothers last season just eating garbage for a month... That's what wins. Out-starving your competition is what it tends to come down to. Not snares. Maybe this season it's grasshoppers. Giving yourself a few days to catch bigger animals, then sucking in your gut and claiming you can see ribs wasn't the right attitude to have. If you're not willing to look for and eat worms for a month you won't get anywhere. 

[ProfCrash]

They are all on the river, water is not an issue. Fire starting clearly wasn't as issue, because they didn't show any of that. I do wish they would show more of the shelter builds because the ones we are seeing look very different.  I suspect that they are trying to get through the beginning of the game as fast as possible because all of these folks last a while. I almost wish that they had structured the first bunch of weeks along themes. A shelter week, showing how they each built their shelters. A food gathering week, hunting, fishing, gathering of plants. That type of thing. Anyone who taps gets 5 minutes at the end to show why they tap. I am far more interested in how they are surviving then the other stuff.

[MostlyContent]

I also want to see more of the shelter building, gathering, and day to day life.   

I suppose that one of the drawbacks of having the return contestants is that the majority of them have learned to ham it up for the camera.   Some of them always did.  Most of them are making money off of their participation on this show from seasons 1-4.  

Agree that fuckin' Larry is a drag.  He played it up last time, and this time with his new ZZ Top beard, he's playing to the camera even more than he was in his first season.  He's amusing in a way, but not what I watch 'Alone' for. 

Agree that Dave is hosting his own "ME ME" program in his mind.  He *did* however shoot a grouse with a bow and arrow which is new.  He still seems kinda nuts.  I reserve the right to change my mind later.  lol

Sam is playing to the camera.  (OH BOOHOO!!!)

Britt is playing to the camera. 

Nichole is and was always being a *personality* and enjoying the camera.  She's got a brand.  I like her, though.  So that won't last long.  lol

I can't even guess how Randy and Brooke will come across when we finally see them.  I suspect that Brooke will be a camera ham since she was last season.   I hope Randy does well.  

Team Jesse all the way!!!!   He filmed his cabin building, and he's not a show-off.    

You know who I wish were contestants this season?   Lucas and Mitch.  Yes they tapped because *stuff* but they were interesting.  Also.......what was his name?  Mike?  The guy who built a bunch of interesting stuff but tapped because he missed his wife (yeah, no......probably hungry).   

[dustoffmom]

Wasn't that Barrr-ba-raaa that we heard so very much about?  But Mike?  I thought that was Mitch who pined the whole time for his queen Barbra!  :)

[Drogo]

On 6/24/2018 at 11:33 AM, Drogo said:

As preview talk generally devolves into speculation and takes the discussion off the rails, it's frowned upon.

 

On 6/24/2018 at 1:39 PM, dustoffmom said:

So, frowned upon or verboten?

Preview talk is allowed so long as it doesn't derail the episode discussion.  

[pagooey]

On 6/23/2018 at 7:10 AM, OoogleEyes said:

Brad: I want to see what I'm truly made of

Brad, turns out you're made of a trendy haircut, sorry. 

[Whyyouneedaname]

5 hours ago, Charlesman said:

The guys on the Alone podcast made a fair point... The show isn't out to cast the ten best bushmasters and see how they do... That would make for boring TV. They are out to make the best show. 

Also, they were pretty hard on Brad. Brought up that we've never seen in any season snares work to catch more than the occasional mouse. Setting up 40 dinky looking ones, then not catching anything in a few days then deciding to go home was pretty weak. Every season comes down to finding something small in your area that you can rely on. Even fish don't get the job done, eventually they're gone. Living off limpets, slugs, the two brothers last season just eating garbage for a month... That's what wins. Out-starving your competition is what it tends to come down to. Not snares. Maybe this season it's grasshoppers. Giving yourself a few days to catch bigger animals, then sucking in your gut and claiming you can see ribs wasn't the right attitude to have. If you're not willing to look for and eat worms for a month you won't get anywhere. 

to me that was his mindset when he came in "there's a rib, I'm outta here". 

[seasick]

5 hours ago, Charlesman said:

The guys on the Alone podcast made a fair point... The show isn't out to cast the ten best bushmasters and see how they do... That would make for boring TV. They are out to make the best show. 

For me it's *that* idea that frustrates me with the editing of the show.  I think they believe the bushcraft is boring,   but I love the shelter building and entire reasoning process  in building of their camps and their food-getting ideas. Esp. since they may have learned things from the past..either mistakes or better ideas.

They are out to make the best show---in *their*  opinion.  I've often thought the editors don't like bushcraft at all!   I happen  to like Larry but his shtick was better the first time around. ( I do hope it's different this time.)    I guess my point is I think they are trying to now 'direct' what they think  is a good reality show and it's always authenticity that does that in the end.  They can't control that..it ruins it.  (Remember the "wolf attack" on the beach that was shown every episode??? )   

Honestly although I looked forward to the returnee group, I realize I like  most of them.  In the past it helped to have a few that annoyed me --mike and the goddess Barbara and the Dave that badmouthed everyone else's bush techniques and the woman (Britt was it?)  who got naked alot and played up her dumb spider bite etc...  

So far the show is boring.  I'm not looking to Larry's cursing tantrums or Britts quips to carry the day.  I hope that's not what they are banking on either-- or a tap-out each week to provide their idea of drama and interest.

[TVbitch]

I do think the contestants probably had an orientation by the producers on how to be more "entertaining," and of course they have had a taste of celebrity from their first go 'round, and it does feel like they are performing a lot more this year. But the good news is, even the ones that do that, there is a point where the hunger, hardship, pain, solitude, boredom, or whatever wears them down and the real personalities emerge. Last time Dave went from hosting his own reality show to a full on display of his raw mental instability. Even in the moment with Larry and the chipmunk, he start out all woo hoo jazz hands playing to the camera, but then holding the dead little guy, he suddenly totally dropped that act and got almost teary, but then he picked the act back up again. It's kind of interesting to watch this transition. 

[qtpye]

On 6/25/2018 at 10:49 PM, TVbitch said:

I do think the contestants probably had an orientation by the producers on how to be more "entertaining," and of course they have had a taste of celebrity from their first go 'round, and it does feel like they are performing a lot more this year. But the good news is, even the ones that do that, there is a point where the hunger, hardship, pain, solitude, boredom, or whatever wears them down and the real personalities emerge. Last time Dave went from hosting his own reality show to a full on display of his raw mental instability. Even in the moment with Larry and the chipmunk, he start out all woo hoo jazz hands playing to the camera, but then holding the dead little guy, he suddenly totally dropped that act and got almost teary, but then he picked the act back up again. It's kind of interesting to watch this transition. 

See, I thought that was him being real in the beginning. He was really excited and was about to laugh at the "dumbass chipmunk" and realized that the cameras were watching...that is he went into "I shall thank this beautiful for giving up his life for my sustenance" mode. I do not feel like Larry is "thank the animal type of guy". I think without cameras he would be like "You going in my belly, you stupid Mofo".

[TVbitch]

31 minutes ago, qtpye said:

See, I thought that was him being real in the beginning. He was really excited and was about to laugh at the "dumbass chipmunk" and realized that the cameras were watching...that is he went into "I shall thank this beautiful for giving up his life for my sustenance" mode. I do not feel like Larry is "thank the animal type of guy". I think without cameras he would be like "You going in my belly, you stupid Mofo".

Ah, really? Isn't it interesting how perceptions differ? Actually I do think he made the transition from glee into "doing the right thing" by thanking the animal consciously, but then at some point when he was really looking at it, his voice slowed and changed, and he called it little guy or buddy or something and I saw a flash of something genuine in his solemnity.  

[stane]

On 6/25/2018 at 10:27 AM, Charlesman said:

The guys on the Alone podcast made a fair point... The show isn't out to cast the ten best bushmasters and see how they do... That would make for boring TV. They are out to make the best show. 

Also, they were pretty hard on Brad. Brought up that we've never seen in any season snares work to catch more than the occasional mouse. Setting up 40 dinky looking ones, then not catching anything in a few days then deciding to go home was pretty weak. Every season comes down to finding something small in your area that you can rely on. Even fish don't get the job done, eventually they're gone. Living off limpets, slugs, the two brothers last season just eating garbage for a month... That's what wins. Out-starving your competition is what it tends to come down to. Not snares. Maybe this season it's grasshoppers. Giving yourself a few days to catch bigger animals, then sucking in your gut and claiming you can see ribs wasn't the right attitude to have. If you're not willing to look for and eat worms for a month you won't get anywhere. 

bs, bs. carleigh lasted 86 days just by holing up and some of the guys had at least 70 lb on her. They are just weak minded, or are not allowed to do likewise. That's a possibility. The producers want the show to end by 3 months and preferably in 2 months. There's  7000 applicants per season folks, but so few women that any woman who applies gets on the show (most likely)  Wonica let that slip. Once a woman gets into the top 20 and goes to boot camp, she  knows that she'll be on the show. Ditto any minorities, gays, or trans people who apply, of course.

[stane]

I'd use netting box traps for small game, birds and crabs,  and reserve the wire  for the treble hooks set for predators  or squirrels, and for braiding into cable, for hooking up deer, bear, caribou or moose to a drag log, by festooning a trail with forked sticks, holding up such snare loops, horizontally and vertically, on a well used trail, near a water source etc.using some of the salt as bait. Guts and heads of previous catches, even entire small fish,  can bait a bear pretty well, if there's any in the area and if you can catch enough of such bait