Life Below Zero - General Discussion

[Diane M]

I think their diet would be very boring....and limited.  Probably don't eat salads in the winter, but beans would give them protein.

[pasdetrois]

SunnyBeBe, I posted under the July 2 episode that many arctic natives receive oil and gas royalties. It's a fairly recent phenomenon - over the past couple decades. These are royalties based on tribal treaties and resources, not to be confused with the relatively small annual benefit that Alaskan citizens receive.

[Beden]

According to last yesterday's marathon, the new season starts tomorrow, Tuesday, November 4th.

 

Excellent.

[captain1]

Thought I'd start a catchall topic for the new season.  Hope this is OK!

[walnutqueen]

Too bad Glen has a bridge now - I like seeing him nekkid.  :-)

 

Andy has some mad carpentry skillz.

 

Sue is a ray of sunshine, as always.

[Diane M]

Sue is a real gutsy gal, but a ray of sunshine she is not. Her entire segment seems to always be about what would happen if she didn't work her butt off every day.

 

 I can't imagine living all alone, except for her dog, for the entire winter.  And that tundra is not an attractive landscape, like Eagle and the area where Glenn lives.  

[iluvobx]

I do not like Chip at all.  I like Agnes and I really don't understand why she puts up with Chip.  Chip is lazy.  He always has an excuse for why Agnes is doing all the work and why he is doing nothing.

[Diane M]

To be fair to Chip, all we see of their lives is what is filmed for this series.  It seems that a lot of the hunting and fishing in their area can only be done by the native people.  He seems to be a good father who is teaching his girls how to be self-sufficient in their way of life.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Diane M

[Diane M]

Eric was back last night and shot a grizzly.....and we were introduced to his new wife!  Guess he's tired of living alone out there in the wilderness.  She's an Alaskan girl and quite pretty.

[peaceknit]

He certainly looked happier than I've seen him before on this show, now that he's wifed up.

[peaceknit]

I don't have a problem with Chip either. He sure has a passel of girls though. No son? Chip has said before that there are certain things he can and cannot do as he's not native.

[Diane M]

He has a step-son who has been in an episode or more. He calls him 'son', so they must be close.

[Keekski]

I think walnutqueen was being sarcastic with her Sue comment. 

[walnutqueen]

I already have a feral cat colony, thank you very much.  All animals are welcome here - Glenn, not so much (unless he's on my teevee NOT killing animals!).    :-)

 

Oh, and I thought my Sue comment was hilarious, but I may have been slightly self-medicated at the time (albeit not with that colloidal silver shit.  Really, Sue?!?).

[captain1]

Sue gets a lot of flak on here for being doom and gloomy and paranoid, but on Facebook she is charming and very interactive with her fans. She posts a ton of cool pics as well.

[nottopbravo]

Scratching my head moment:  When Sue said that you can't live alone and be negative.  Sue is nothing but negative.

[Diane M]

I wish this topic was more active.  I love this series and would like to discuss it.  I miss TV Without Pity.

 

I like Glenn.  He has such a positive attitude.

 

Wouldn't want to be a Hailstone daughter.  Do they ever get to do girly things?  And I'm not a fan of their diet.

Andy Bassich has to be one of the more accomplished people on this series.  He's always working hard and can do just about anything.

 

Sue is sure a tough broad....smoking, cussing, doing all those things a man would do.  When is her hunting/fishing camp open?  She'd have to make quite a bit of money during the season to keep herself going through those long winter months and plane deliveries.

[nottopbravo]

I don't know about you, but it was a little unsettling to see Sue stomp on the head of a live fish.  Heard of nets?

[Diane M]

As I said, she's a tough broad. Don't want to bruise the meat. My hubby usually hits them in the head.  

[walnutqueen]

You need to stun the fish quickly, lest they flop the fuck back into the water.  :-)

[Beden]

 

I don't know about you, but it was a little unsettling to see Sue stomp on the head of a live fish.  Heard of nets?

Yes, you do have to stun them so they don't get away but it's also much more humane to kill them quickly than to let them suffocate much more slowly while flopping around on land. Maybe it isn't pleasant to watch but if you're hunting/fishing for food, you have to kill animals, that's simply how it works. I was glad to see Sue making an effort to have her own hydroponic garden for fresh veggies-no mean feat where she is.

[walnutqueen]

I'm glad to see that Andy continues to display a pleasant personality, or maybe his angry outbursts are being edited.

 

Aaaand...Glenn is still getting naked! Does that man ever keep his clothes on throughout an entire episode? I imagine that at least one dear poster here is pleased (I shan't mention any names, hee, hee).

 

So, now I'm a DEAR poster?!?  : -)

[pasdetrois]

I wonder how much longer Sue can manage the camp on her own. If it's profitable maybe she can hire someone to help her full-time. But can you imagine being that person? Sue seems to be a misanthrope (except for her appreciation for pilots and other helpers) and she would probably hate having to deal with another person fulltime. They'd have to have separate quarters.

 

I've also wondered if Andy and Kate are hustling so hard to finish their property because they are aging and won't be able to work that hard forever. I read somewhere that he is from the DC area and his original trade was carpentry. Sometimes really capable, smart people are impatient with everyone else who bumps along at a normal pace.

 

I adore seeing their dogs - the boatloads of dogs during the floods, with their tails and ears going every which way, make me laugh - and being with the dogs is one of the few times we don't see Andy display his impatience. He seems to love them, but boy what a lot of work. I wonder if his vet is Dr. Oakley, a Yukon vet who has her own reality TV show. On her show we see her going to places near Eagle.

 

I do enjoy Glenn's sunny disposition. I wonder what he's like when he's back in the lower 48.

 

 

Wouldn't want to be a Hailstone daughter.  Do they ever get to do girly things?

 

I have noticed that they wear black nail polish sometimes. Their father bloviates about living off of the land as if he invented it, when in fact his wife and daughter descend from people who have been doing it forever. I wish we could hear more from Agnes and the girls. Someone stuff a salmon in Chip's mouth.

Edited December 5, 2014 by pasdetrois

[walnutqueen]

I remember watching Flying Alaska (?) when one of their pilots had been stationed out at Sue's camp for quite some time.  They had a very fond farewell and both seemed genuinely sad to be parting ways.  Sue also hosts a bunch of people in the summer, so she must have the ability to at least tolerate paying guests.   Or maybe she just thinks they have to tolerate her.   ;-)

 

I love seeing Kate and Andy with the dogs, too, pasdetrois, and also wonder if Dr. Oakley is their vet.  (I watch all those veterinary shows and most Alaska shows, so Yukon Vet combines my interests). 

 

Getting older isn't for the faint of heart, but these folks all strike me s the type to remain fairly active well into their old age.  I've seen some older folks struggle with these issues - Tom & Nancy on Mountain Men, for instance.  They tend to hang on to the lifestyle they love for as long as humanly possible, and staying active seems to help them stay fit & vital.

[Medicine Crow]

I, also, don't understand the lack of interest in such a fascinating (to me & obviously others) show!!

[Diane M]

Last night we got to see a man arriving by plane to be a B&B paying guest.  She said there's only a six-week period during the summer for her to make a living with her business.  Must be very stressful during that time when the weather doesn't cooperate.  

 

Glen doesn't seem shy about showing off his trim body.  Guess there are no female photographers.  He's very inventive, building an underground log-lined 'refrigerator'.  I wonder how long those fish would last.

 

I don't envy the Hailstone family's summer living quarters.  All those unshowered bodies living in that tent for weeks. Kind of gave me the creeps watching them beat those poor ducks to death.  Not a life for me.

 

Andy seems to be a very healthy and strong man who will be living the Alaskan lifestyle for a very long time.  

 

I too wonder if Dr. Oakley is their vet.  Since their series are on the same network, they should make her pay a visit to Eagle to check out the dogs.

[Beden]

 

Last night we got to see a man arriving by plane to be a B&B paying guest.  She said there's only a six-week period during the summer for her to make a living with her business.  Must be very stressful during that time when the weather doesn't cooperate.

I may have misheard (or simply not been listening) but I thought she said something about 3 months for summer and hence 3 months to make $. Whichever, it's not a big window. I was wondering what she has to charge per night or per meal or per landing or however she breaks down her rates to make her yearly income considering her high expenses to get supplies in.

 

I doubt if Glenn gives a rats ass if there's a female photographer or not. He seems at ease with himself. Just MO.

[wildman]

Is it just me or does Agnes look drop dead sexy pumping off rounds with that 12 gauge? 

[walnutqueen]

Is it just me or does Agnes look drop dead sexy pumping off rounds with that 12 gauge? 

 

I think competent, comfortable and happy reads a lot like sexy (at least, to sexless old me), so yes, I find Agnes (and surly Sue, of course), the sexiest women on LBZ.   Don't even get me started on girl with a big gun.  :-)

 

I love the way these parents are teaching skills to their kids; whether or not the kids will need, or want, to use them is moot; it is the bonding and passing on of knowledge that is precious, to me.

[pasdetrois]

The latest episode was a bit more fun for me. I was tired of the endless searches for food and curious about other stuff.

 

Sue and her grandson! Cute kid and respectful. New idea for Scared Straight - send misbehaving kids to spend a couple weeks with Sue in the dead of winter. She'd knock 'em into shape and they'd be too terrified to protest.

 

Cool to watch the Hailstones build a cache. And Glen his ladder.

 

Given the concern about fire, I wonder if Andy had to get a permit for that massive garbage burn. But alas, no doggies in the episode.

[Diane M]

Given the concern about fire, I wonder if Andy had to get a permit for that massive garbage burn. But alas, no doggies in the episode.

 

That was one big burn!  Even though he hosed down the area before he lit the pile, there were a lot of sparks flying in the air.  I would think they could have started a fire.

 

I wonder how Glenn can live out in the wilderness for so much of the year.  Does he have an inheritance to pay for his child support?  He's too young for be a pensioner.

[Auntie Anxiety]

Am I the only one who channels Sue?  When I bring a load of firewood to the house so that I won't have to go outside into the elements if I need more wood during the course of the evening, I think of Sue and how difficult her life must be.  It sort of inspires me to get the job done.  And while I'm cursing the rain, snow and freezing temps, I also wonder how she stays ahead of it all.  I'm roughly her age, live alone in a semi rural Northeastern town and some days I just don't feel like doing anything more difficult than a load of laundry and wiping down the counter tops.  Obviously I would never survive in the Arctic.

[pasdetrois]

I don't channel Sue, but I find myself thinking about her life and wondering how it will turn out. I relate to her more than the other characters, in part because I'm older and I handle some mildly tough challenges on my own (doing a lot of the work on my old house, traveling alone to remote places). For all the jokes I make at her expense, and my decades-long vegetarianism, I admire her a lot.

 

I do wish she would quit smoking. It's probably gonna bite her in the butt. And she worries about money - those cigarettes can't be cheap.

[Diane M]

Where is Sue going to go when she is really old and unable to do all that hard work?  Maybe where her grandson lives.

 

Why must they show smoke billowing from her mouth in those 'artistic' shots before her segments?  Next thing they'll show her swigging from a bottle of whiskey.  Yes, we know she works every bit as hard as a man without these "I'm a tough old broad" shots.

[walnutqueen]

I don't channel Sue, but I find myself thinking about her life and wondering how it will turn out. I relate to her more than the other characters, in part because I'm older and I handle some mildly tough challenges on my own (doing a lot of the work on my old house, traveling alone to remote places). For all the jokes I make at her expense, and my decades-long vegetarianism, I admire her a lot.

 

I do wish she would quit smoking. It's probably gonna bite her in the butt. And she worries about money - those cigarettes can't be cheap.

 

 

Where is Sue going to go when she is really old and unable to do all that hard work?  Maybe where her grandson lives.

 

Why must they show smoke billowing from her mouth in those 'artistic' shots before her segments?  Next thing they'll show her swigging from a bottle of whiskey.  Yes, we know she works every bit as hard as a man without these "I'm a tough old broad" shots.

 

Old.  Smoker.  Drinker.  Broke.  Genial misanthropic semi-hermit.  Smarter than your average bear.  I got all that rough living (not nearly as extreme as Sue's) out of my system at an early age.  Same with the hard manual labor.  Didn't procreate, so no fallback position.  Do I identify with Sue?  Perhaps just a wee bit.  Except for the desire to challenge myself - she has guts enough to make me a pair of garters out of her spare parts.  :-)

[JenJurek]

I used to enjoy watching the Hailstones up until this season.  I appreciate and acknowledge that hunting, trapping, killing is the nature of the beast in Alaska.  I have been hunting since I was old enough for my father to put a rifle in my young hands.  They however have gone well and way past sustenance hunting and kill everything that moves for the sake of profit.  I don't like Chip.  I think he is full of crap, smug, and nauseating.  I think he married an Inupiaq so he could be as greedy and selfish as he could possibly be and piggyback on her ability to have different rules/limits for hunting than he could as a non native.  I think he uses her.  I don't for one second believe that if Agnes were on her own she would spend each and every day killing well past what she needs to feed her family.  I used to admire her the first season but now she seems like a subservient puppet with Chip pulling her strings.  I think they spit out as many kids as they could to take advantage of the oil dividends that this year was the third largest ever.  They admittedly trap and kill far more than they need to survive and I'm tired of his tired BS about teaching his daughters how to blah blah blah for their future.  These girls will surely NOT be living off the land when they get older.  The have been "Americanized" to the point that they will most likely find husbands who are not natives just like their Mom did, marry and move into the cities.  Stop pretending you are doing something noble.  You are raping the land, using your wife as an excuse/stepping stone, cashing in on big oil profits and the money the show pays you each year to follow your brood around.  They have no need to be killing as much as they do, they have long since surpassed sustenance hunting and are just greedy fueled by money profiteers.  The new Alaskan capitalists.  Everyone else on the show kills only what they need to survive.  The entire season this year following them has been nothing more than a huge bloodbath.  I abhor their segments now.  I hope the show drops them like a bad habit next season

Edited December 25, 2014 by JenJurek

[Auntie Anxiety]

Just like every other "reality" show, the Hailstones probably do all that hunting in order to provide some interest for the audience. Maybe they just want to make sure NatGeo renews their contract, kind of like how the Real Housewives (ugh) fight all the time; if you bring the drama, you get more screen time. That being said, I do find it hard to watch all that hunting.

[JenJurek]

I used to enjoy watching the Hailstones up until this season.  I appreciate and acknowledge that hunting, trapping, killing is the nature of the beast in Alaska.  I have been hunting since I was old enough for my father to put a rifle in my young hands.  They however have gone well and way past sustenance hunting and kill everything that moves for the sake of profit.  I don't like Chip.  I think he is full of crap, smug, and nauseating.  I think he married an Inupiaq so he could be as greedy and selfish as he could possibly be and piggyback on her ability to have different rules/limits for hunting than he could as a non native.  I think he uses her.  I don't for one second believe that if Agnes were on her own she would spend each and every day killing well past what she needs to feed her family.  I used to admire her the first season but now she seems like a subservient puppet with Chip pulling her strings.  I think they spit out as many kids as they could to take advantage of the oil dividends that this year was the third largest ever as well as the extra dividends paid out to natives.  From what I gather they are doing quite well financially.  They admittedly trap and kill far more than they need to survive and I'm tired of his tired BS about teaching his daughters how to blah blah blah for their future.  These girls will surely NOT be living off the land when they get older.  The have been "Americanized" to the point that they will most likely find husbands who are not natives just like their Mom did, marry and move into the cities.  Stop pretending you are doing something noble.  You are raping the land, using your wife as an excuse/stepping stone, cashing in on big oil profits and the money the show pays you each year to follow your brood around.  They have no need to be killing as much as they do, they have long since surpassed sustenance hunting and are just greedy fueled by money profiteers.  The new Alaskan capitalists.  Everyone else on the show kills only what they need to survive.  The entire season this year following them has been nothing more than a huge bloodbath.  I abhor their segments now.  I hope the show drops them like a bad habit next season

Edited December 25, 2014 by JenJurek

[pasdetrois]

I agree with you. Based on my work with Alaskan Native Corporations (and with the Village of Barrow), I've formed this impression of Chip as well. The show carefully avoids showing much of the Hailstones' life outside of hunting and fishing, and I think it's in part because the Hailstones appear to want to leave the impression that they MUST hunt to survive and that they have to trade in order to get the things they need, when in fact I suspect their income is pretty healthy. I perceive Chip as strategically piggybacking off of a native woman because it benefits him; he's certainly not the only white man to try this in a wealthy native community. Plus, he seems kind of hostile, which he masquerades as a smug know-it-all. Except for building the cache, driving boats, etc., we don't see him DOING anything. And not being native is no excuse.

 

ETA: here's a link to a blog Chip used to keep. He used to hunt and fish in AK and also mentions the amount of one of the Alaska permanent fund dividends he received. It's also full of smartass swipes at politicians (big surprise):

 

http://anarcticview.blogspot.com/

 

As someone posted on this forum, maybe he stopped using firearms (and blogging), after his arrest and felony conviction for getting into it with a state trooper.

Edited December 27, 2014 by pasdetrois

[pasdetrois]

 

Smarter than your average bear.

Well, except for the one that made a meal out of her.

[walnutqueen]

Well, except for the one that made a meal out of her.

 

She got away with her life and all appendages, so I'd call it a draw, at least.  But I was using a Yogi Bear quote.  :-)

[nottopbravo]

I'm so pleased to read the recent posts! Diane M, I also lament the lack of activity on this forum.

 

I actually started a forum for this on the old TWOP near the end of the second season.  I assumed hardly anyone was watching the show, but the postings started to pick up, and then were down to maybe four posts per episode. 

 

One thing I noticed about Sue was that she seems rather reckless.  Instead of babying her equipment (considering where she is), she seems almost to beat them to death.  I guess she got tired of her new toy that the producers bought her as we don't see it in episodes anymore. 

 

I wish they would stop trying to introduce new characters into this show (I.e. Eric's wife, Sue's grandson, etc) and stay with the main characters of this show.

 

There was a lot of focus on building things this season.  Did the producers give them ideas, or fund them money?

Edited December 26, 2014 by nottopbravo

[Auntie Anxiety]

 

I guess she got tired of her new toy that the producers bought her as we don't see it in episodes anymore.

I figured she'd probably already broken it.

 

 

I wish they would stop trying to introduce new characters into this show (I.e. Eric's wife, Sue's grandson, etc) and stay with the main characters of this show.

This is a problem throughout the reality show universe--trying to make things interesting and keeping things lively when, in fact, most people's day-to-day lives are boring and uneventful.  Since it's NatGeo, they can't get away with plying the cast with alcohol and hoping that the fists fly.

[Diane M]

Eric and his bride were in only two episodes this season, and it appears he has moved to southern Alaska where it's more populated.  I wonder if he will be totally replaced by Glenn next season.  I guess it's still 'below zero' down south, but not near the Arctic Circle, where the others live.

[SunshineKelly]

Old.  Smoker.  Drinker.  Broke.  Genial misanthropic semi-hermit.  Smarter than your average bear.  I got all that rough living (not nearly as extreme as Sue's) out of my system at an early age.  Same with the hard manual labor.  Didn't procreate, so no fallback position.  Do I identify with Sue?  Perhaps just a wee bit.  Except for the desire to challenge myself - she has guts enough to make me a pair of garters out of her spare parts.  :-)

dumb question here, but have they showed Sue smoking in any episodes? Colour me a crazy Canadian, but when it's cold outside, when you breathe it can look like you're breathing out smoke....  

[walnutqueen]

Yes, Sue smokes.  Cigarettes and cigars.  I haven't seen her light up a doob yet, but she is all about herbal remedies ...  :-)

[SunshineKelly]

Yes, Sue smokes.  Cigarettes and cigars.  I haven't seen her light up a doob yet, but she is all about herbal remedies ...  :-)

 

I'm just watching a Life Below Zero marathon today. I haven't seen any of the episodes that they're playing today. I think we're on a bit of a different schedule than Nat Geo in the States. 

 

I do remember seeing an episode (maybe from last season?) that Sue was building a greenhouse... maybe she's growing some marijuana along with her lettuce, kale and what-not *L*

[Girl43]

As much as the show avoids showing the Hailstones' lives outside of hunting and fishing, can you imagine how much ends up on the cutting room floor? This show has been filmed and edited for our entertainment. If it was all wine and roses how long would you watch it? People want to see extremes, harsh environments, and they wouldn't be too interested if things flowed along smoothly all the time. Chip and Agnes Hailstone are very interesting people. They show us how a small percentage of people live in this world. I think their way of educating their children is very smart. The girls are receiving a "formal" education and also one that could help them out later in their lives, that being as subsistence providers. How the children want to live their lives in future shouldn't even be up for discussion. As far as killing more than they need, it has been stated many many times that they provide for their particular village, family and friends and as a way of barter in needy times. I don't find Chip any more annoying than most men. I don't find him all that bossy or pushy. Agnes has the best attitude. You don't find too many people that accepting, positive, or cheerful and maybe it's because she is living the life that she wants. I feel that we certainly do not have a full appreciation of anyone's real personality that is featured on this show...they are moulded, cut and edited to present exactly what the NGC wants us to see. 

[walnutqueen]

Girl43 - I've run out of LIKES for now, but I agree with your post and appreciate your point of view.  :-)

[Girl43]

Thanks Walnut Queen, but don't get me started on Sue...that could get a bit sketchy :)