Alone: The Skills Challenge

I watch the regular Alone mostly for the great scenery and to see skilled survivalists display their building and crafting prowess. Alone: The Skills Challenged is a distilled version: there is still some good scenery, but the skills are emphasized. Each week one of seven of Alone's more successful contestants challenges three of the others to a different crafting/building project using the limited tools supplied and native materials. While all of the seven do some things alike, it is really interesting to watch just how much they do differently. And as in Alone, weather (and luck) may play a part in determining success. The editing of this series is first rate, moving seamlessly from person to person with no "wasted" minutes (=extra stars). I would really like to see these seven be the sole contestants on a regular season of Alone for the sheer scope of their skills and the unpredictability of a winner.

This one was unexpected as we are finishing up the regular alone season but ran out of episodes. 12 20-minute episodes was a really cool find to binge watch and get a little more exposure to some of the participants and their skillsets. Typically these are repeat contestants which helps to give a lens into their strengths and areas of improvement with regard to survival skills. Knowing this helps us better understand who is going potentially do well in the actual Alone challenge.

Its certainly worth the watch just to chill and see survivalists compete in skills challenges in a casual manner - not starving, lonely, etc... Those elements are dynamic in the interplay of the show too, when youre talking about legit competition for cash prizes. This being just a bragging rights type of challenge is more like watching shorts, quick episodes to get you back into the Alone spirit.

Super cool show, would reccomend!