I have it recording, but I haven't watched an episode yet. But I have to be honest, I tuned into this week's Alone, and was disappointed to see it had been replaced with Roots. Having said that, I was about 9 or 10 when Roots was originally aired, and it's brutality shocked me in my boots. It made a monster impression on me. So, the bar is set awfully high.
^^ This needs its own thread. I enjoy Chris's breakdowns of "Alone"; it's almost better than watching the real thing.
Sea waters are choppy. People are getting tired. And patience is tested. Some are embracing the challenge. While others are clearly letting it break them. There is no right or wrong here. And no one is given a manual on how to play. One guy passes the time playing board game football. Yeah...football. Hairy man is not having the time of his life. But he's not sure. So he built a sweat lodge to purify himself so he could think clearly. Me?...bourbon...neat. And I'm pretty good. Native man groomed his graying beard. And begins building a cool boat. Not a barely-can-float wobbly boat. But a "...where did you buy that..." boat. I can't whittle a stick. I like this guy. And I wish him well. For another, tension mounts as he discovers he built camp on a recently receded swamp land. And his firehole fills with water as a result. Another location change might be in store. One, whose sanity is suspect to begin with, danced crazily at the prospect of not having to wake up at 4 am. And then he lit the tree his tent was tied to on fire. I'm sure he's going to be fine. But if a bear ate him, that'd be okay too. Two guys crack. Two tap out. 5 people remain.
This installment... Hungry man struggles to drag a log out of the water. It's stuck in his fish net. He ponders the possibility that some might be eating chicken thighs while watching him be hungry. But after his monologue about trying to make things better for his kids because he is struggling to provide, makes him sympathetic to me. Sniper guy climbs a mountain. A symbolic gesture for fellow veterans. It's very noble. A wet, rocky, mossy, vertical mountain. 1300 feet high. I work hard for a living. But I'm a flatlander. 1300 feet? You mean...walking? Up? Strait up? Sorry, I have to take this call. Nature man wraps his boat in canvas. And whittles a needle. Out of bone. Yeah...you read right. And then he carved skid plates for his boat. Lastly, Salmon girl. And her bear friends. They're coming. She's pretty cool about it. Me? Call me Skidmark. Her knowledge of plant life might not prevent her from eating...or being eaten by a bear...But she's eating better than anybody. Most playing are either real hungry or starving. She's gave away a fish. She is queen of the jungle. I have a tolerance. I do. But it has its limits. I'd not volunteer for this contest. Even with the high prize. Money has a value. No doubt. And it's up to each one of us what one might be willing to do to compromise oneself for a cash prize. But at the end of the day...or at least at the beginning of the next day...I'd rather wake up in my own bed.
That's a good synopsis of yesterdays program. I've come to realize that a contestant/player's chances are directly related to were they are landed. Location, location, location. Hungry Man is along a rocky inlet were the tied comes in fast & hard, bringing in all sorts of timber & logs that keep tearing up his gill net. Salmon girl is along a flat beach area were a stream full of fish flow in & out. Hence the bears, they eat there too. She has no problem catching fish, in fact she lets a big salmon go because she doesn't need it. Some of the other contestants would have killed for that fish.
This week's installment... Things are slow. Contestants fight boredom every bit as well as hunger. But from my couch, this remains a beautiful place to be. The cusser hunts a mouse. After having been chased from his first location...by a mouse. He crushed it in a trap. But then it escaped. Then he crushed it with his hand. But it gets away still. When he catches it again, he slit its throat. I sense insanity settling in. Fish, mice and crabs, oh my. Nature man goes for a boat ride. Almost... But doesn't tip over. He combs the beach for an outrigger. Prays for help. Prays hard. Hungry man is...well, a hungry man. I know this because ferrets eat better than him. But then he gets crabby. Then, he finally takes a dump. Which reminds me, when I was four years old, I was in a bluegrass metal band called Cedar Torpedo. Sniper guy catches a bucket of sea snails. He remains disciplined enough to continue to work out. Then waited. And waited. Nothing happened. Except, maybe, a slow decline into madness. Sniper guy taps out. 4 people remain.
Salmon Girl has gotten a suspiciously great "starting place" with all those easy to catch fish in a great stream, no logs to damage nets etc etc - but she does make it work too .....
I don't understand hungry man. Its like all of a sudden he remembers how easy it was to catch crabs when he was a kid, then catches six of them. Why didn't he do this from the beginning? maybe he didn't see them...
That'd be my guess as well. He tried previously either with gill net, or from shore. But...he caught the crabs from a reef (didn't he?) Maybe he never thought to look there.
This is getting near the end. Hungry man schools us on the difference between American bald Eagles and Canadian Eagles. And who exactly deserves their respect. Does it reflect poorly on me that I hoped something bad happened to him? Then he fell in the water. Great. Now I feel guilt. Maybe watching this show is making me crazy. Salmon girl hates seals. Because they left her only fish heads. Seals...can be butt-holes. I would strongly advise her not to yell "human coming" while walking a bear path. Nature man boats to a river. But there was nothing. Maybe he should hook up with salmon girl. Is there anything else on? The cusser struggles to get through the day. He feels like giving up. Then he breaks. Breaks hard. Okay, maybe not so hard that Dewey Cox writes a song about it, but still. 4 people remain.
You've summed it up nicely, but I'll add this: Nature man went through all of that work building an elaborate, nicely done boat. Salmon across the way are long gone...Salmon girl is going to starve unless she learns to fish...Cussing man is near rock bottom. The boredom will kill him before he starves...Hungry man was just getting it together when he falls in the water, and loses two fish to ??? He presumes an eagle.. You care to guess who's going to come out winner? I'm not that impressed with any of them to be honest. I almost wish that all four of them would hit the sat phone and tap out at the same time...
If I were to guess, I'd say Nature man and Salmon girl will be the last two standing. Surprised the cusser survived the last episode. I don't recall the marital status of those remaining. But those that can keep the thoughts of their loved ones off of their mind will do better. An emotional hurricane can destroy one's soul if you allow thoughts of kids and/or spouse take over while you're starving and freezing off the coast of Canada. Having said that, I'm not so invested in this show that I'm rooting for anyone in particular.
So, I've been reading some about this show (I have not watched a single episode despite this kind of show being exactly in my wheelhouse; I have no excuse to why not other than maybe I enjoy reading @Chris from Chicago's recaps?) A dude named Desmond White tapped out after 5 hours ??
Thank you, brother. The big bad army man had bears around his tent. He was petrified. And he didn't last the night.
He didn't have time to set up a tent, just walked around in the woods, saw some bear scat & tracks, went back & sat on a rock for a while looking out across the water, made like he was cutting some firewood, sat on a rock some more, then called in for the tap out. About 5 hours. The funny thing is, before he departed for the woods he pulls out a big knife & tells his family that if he meets a bear they better check to see if the bear's allright...
It's 35 degrees out. Four cold and wet contestants remain. Tide is coming in. Not Midwestern tide. Ocean tide. I get ripples. They can be cute. These waves can knock over a horse. Nature man is starving. So he gets on his homemade boat and lays a fishing line. He doesn't catch any fish. But he does find a treasure. A washed up barrel. It was covered in mussels. I've seen so many horror movies in my day, when he stood up the barrel, and it teetered, I wondered if a body was in it. Does that make me a sick bastard? Hungry man wishes he could squeeze a weasel. And strangely, I'd sort of like to see it. He scores some reef. Which meant a whole different thing to me when I was younger. Then his luck turns when he finds jungle gold with pine resin. I swear, these Bon Jovi commercials are making me want to cancel DirectTV. The cusser sings the blues. But in spite of that he loves his wife. Uh oh...family emotions seeping in. Big time. This guy may not survive the episode. He's cracking. What...the hail? Then he wishes the weather would knock over the other's tents to give him an advantage. I now hope a Bigfoot eats this guy's skin. Salmon girl is cold. Damn cold. While searching for firewood, she sits and reminisces about her family. Especially her kids birthday. Aaand...the familia emotion hits her with a wave larger than any she's seen on this show. She's hungry. Starving, even. Which is ironic considering she's earned the moniker Salmon girl. But she finds salvation. In one huckleberry. Salvation sucks. Is it going to be the Cusser or Salmon girl? They're both missing family. Right now Salmon girl ahead by a nose. But the Cusser manages to take the lead. It's close to the end. They're running down the stretch. It's the Cusser. It's Salmon girl. Wait...here comes Nature man missing his wife. It's a three horse race. Nature man making a charge... Salmon girl wins at the wire. Salmon girl taps out. 3 people remain.
Sad about Salmon girl.... Not sure if this has been posted yet but Salman girl and Jose are friends, they have known each other for years and have worked together according to a radio interview on the IMDB message board at least. And when is that wolf attack going to happen??? It's the only scene we have not seen yet from the teasers.
I did NOT know about the two being friends. But I don't think I have a problem with it. And regarding the wolf attack, it sure does appear the camera is moving when the wolf runs towards it. Implying not just a camera is being attacked but a contestant. That'd be a rough reason to have to tap out.
I could be wrong, but I think the wolf attack was just that, a teaser. About Salmon girl. As soon as the food dried up she was gone. She could say "I miss my babies" but she was out of readily available food. She still gave it a good run. Of the 3 remaining, I cant for the life of me figure out what keeps 2 of them there. Hungry man & Cussing man are just hanging on through sheer determination. Cussing man will need a shrink after this is over.
That is the funniest stream-of-consciousness I've read in a LONG time. Reminds me of a time in college, when my brother was visiting, and went to use the toilet. Someone had left a "present"-LARGER than the long rolls of pop-open biscuits. The worst part? After a bit, we realized there was no toilet paper in evidence...
