Survivorman

After being put through the test of time with other survival shows making it on to the scene, Les Stroud's Survivorman still reigns supreme. Unlike the rest, Survivorman is the only one where the host is completely alone throughout the filming of every episode. And each one is done for seven days, as opposed to some usually unknown (and probably shorter) length of time, as in the case of Man versus Wild, Dual Survival, etc.

Although it is not as exciting as some of the competition, using what you learn from Les will not get you killed. There is no climbing into bottomless crevasses of glaciers or doing butt slaloms down scree slopes, but rather just straight forward survival techniques displayed in easy to understand presentations.

And perhaps most important aspect of the show is the amount of failures that Les encounters. Even with the years of experience that he has accumulated, many of his attempts fall flat simply due to the actual difficulty of what he is trying to do. This not only presents a realistic image of how hard true survival is, but it also shows that in a survival situation, you can fail many times and still survive.

This is by far my favorite show, Les is a great role model in the sense that his house is completely self sufficient ...if you have ever seen his show off the grid, you would know his water is from a well. his power is wind water and solar generated. Now sorry 4 rambling on back to serviorman. my personal favorite episode is the (canadian boreal forest) one because its in my home country and i sometimes go out it the woods and do my own little survivor thing. not for a week or anything but for like a weekend all my friends think in nuts... anyway!! this show kicks the crap out of any other survivor show GO LES!!!!!

I was transfixed by this show since my first viewing. One man in the wild for seven days - no camera crew, nothing but a multi-tool and some basic equipment. The show is set up to more or less mimic a typical survival situation - lost at sea, lost while hiking, a plane crash in the wilderness, etc. It adds an extra element of credibility and realism.

The host then proceeds to do what he must to survive with what he has available, and to make use of or anticipate a use for what he is left with, be it a damaged bicycle, plane, parachute, backpack, etc. Les is alone in this, performing everything including all of his own camera work. So when we see him walking off into the distance or climbing down a bluff, he has to walk or climb all the way back to his camera to retrieve it.

The wilderness settings are incredibly varied, from the arctic to the jungles, tropical islands to open ocean. We get a taste of just about every possible terrain as well, from mountains to desert plains.

The thing I like the most about the show is its practicality. Les doesn't take unnecessary risks for the sake of entertainment. He cooks his food whenever he can, doesn't attempt unrealistic tasks that would set him up for injury, and otherwise attempts to conserve his energy as much as possible. He also stresses the psychological aspects of survival, focusing on keeping his spirits up to avoid the depression and lonely solitude of his situation.

I don't have much criticism for the show. Les plans to be rescued in seven days, and it is often easy to see this anticipation in his routine. In a way this reduces the tension, since we know he will be saved at a predetermined time. But then again if someone isn't rescued from being lost in a few days, then their chance of survival diminishes dramatically. It is not realistic to eschew certain safety considerations and prolong one's suffering merely because I think it might make for a more unpredictable show.

So then my complaints really are minor and perhaps frivolous, since this remains among my favorite shows on TV. Practical, interesting, often exciting, and filled with useful survival information, this show is great and deserves the success it enjoys. Enjoy with my recommendations.

One man. A few cameras. Lots of batteries and tape. No food. Sometimes just a canteen of water and the most help he will get is a "rescue team" that often looses contact with him. Through it all, using his learned skill and wiry wit, Les battles not just the elements but his own human frailties and feelings of isolation.

Immediately, the differences between this and Bear Grylls' show, Man Vs. Wild, become apparent. There is little to no theatrics. He does not grab everything he sees and tries to bite it. He does not go running around in the latest garb from L.L Bean and only rarely does he throw himself into situations which are more or less avoidable.

This is not only more interesting entertainment, but also makes for a more human experience and more valuable survival advice. Without all the blatant theatrics, the message of the episodes become clear, and the techniques become better ingrained on the minds of the people watching it. And it is fascinating to watch Les struggle through not just the physical, but mental fatigues and pains that come with surviving alone in all the wildernesses of the world.

Unfortunately, Les canceled this fantastic show. And considering the physical strain it was putting him under, I don't blame him. And while Bear continues to throw himself at trees to a thundering orchestra, this show still has more educational value.

I highly recommend you watch this show if you are at all interested in learning about how to survive the most extreme situations from the comfort of your own home.

This show is so cool. I don't think there is any other T.V show out there that can compare to this. Les is such a great guy. He puts himself in life and death situations and films it all too. Even though his life is on the line in every adventure, he still makes it very entertaining and sometimes adds a little humor into it to. Some off the survival techniques he shows us is very extreme and should not be attempted by anyone unless in real danger. Thats another thing about the show that I love, its all real. Non of it is planed out or set up. Some off the stuff he does is pretty Gross too(like eating raw bugs!) But the main purpose off the show is to show you how to survive in the wild and in dangerous situations. You have to give this guy some credit.