Alone

Izzy

8/4/20

    When we were in Palm Springs, we started watching the 6th Season of Alone on Netflix and I loved it. Alone is a reality TV show where 10 contestants are dropped off in the middle of nowhere and have to survive off of the land. The contestant who lasts the longest wins $500,000. 

    The contestants only get to bring 10 items such as an axe, fishing line, a bow, etc. They are also given a few other things like a first aid kit and tarps. They have a big case of camera equipment so they can record everything they're doing and the viewers can see from many different angles. They get survival training for things like making a fire but many contestants are very experienced. In Season 3, the first episode shows the contestants during their training bootcamp. There are 20 people there and only the best 10 get to be on the show. Everyone is dropped off in a different area and are completely isolated. They encounter different wildlife and predators such as bears, mountain lions, rabbits, and foxes. There are other challenges like trying to stay warm when the temperature drops to about 0 degrees and finding enough food. There are periodic wellness checks where a medic checks the contestants to see if they have lost too much weight to the point where it's too dangerous to continue.

    In Season 6, the contestants were spread around Great Slave Lake in Canada but we're now watching Season 3 and it's in Patagonia which is close to Antarctica. There are huge differences between the two areas so it's interesting to see how the people survive in both places. Both areas have fresh water so most people catch fish for food. In Season 6, they had to worry about wolverines, bears, foxes, and bobcats versus Season 3 where they had to worry about mountain lions, foxes, and 400 pound boars. The boars are actually pretty cute but you wouldn't want to be face to face with one because they are pretty aggressive and will charge at humans. 

    My favorite part to watch is when they build their shelters because I think it's so interesting to see them build a house from tree branches and moss insulation. After seeing many different shelter methods, the most important things are to have a stone fireplace with some ventilation so your house doesn't burn down, double walls with moss and leaves in the middle as insulation, and a raised bed because the ground absorbs body heat. Another very interesting part is the snares that they set to catch animals. Sometimes the contestants go more than a week without protein and it really takes a toll on their bodies. 

    Overall, I love this show and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good show to binge. It's fun to guess who you think will win in the beginning and then seeing how it all plays out. It's definitely hard to watch just one episode because they always leave you with a cliffhanger.