Alone UK

What happened?

I've watched all the series of alone. When I discovered this series ages ago I was mesmerised. Firstly, the idea of the person actually being alone and trying to survive in the wilderness without cameras following them around is an excellent idea.

Secondly, the first seasons did not have some of the annoying things most reality TV shows have; One. Intrusive background music to evoke emotion. This UK version of alone is ruined by overly dramatic Music. So annoying. What I found refreshing in the earlier seasons was that the viewer was able to someone imagine what it might be like to be alone in the wilderness. The sounds of nature, or silence - Not being bashed over the head with Music better suited to a blockbuster action adventure movie. So annoying. Watching the show used to be a relaxing experience, now every two seconds a voice-over narrator tells us something about the contestant. Shut up! In the earlier seasons information was conveyed via subtitles. Now we have to put up with this annoying voice-over narration.

The other annoying difference is that the footage of the contestants in the wild is interspersed with footage of the contestants talking to the camera interview style. Why? So it looks more like all the other 5000 Reality TV shows? Very annoying.

Other reviews mention that the contestants are all very good looking. Looking back over all the seasons this is generally the case, you can't really get on TV if you're ugly. That has been a staple for at least a decade now.

I wasn't 10 min into this show before things felt, "off". My first comment to my partner was, "Is she wearing make up?".

I had to go online and find out why. Random people with no survival skills see how long they last. But they all look like models, in shape, the typical cast you see in most reality shows.

The first episode we see two of them get naked, one to "get fresh" after half a day in the woods. Unlike Alone Aussie where people were gaining 30-40lbs.

In the entirety of the show Alone, I've never heard anyone complain about the taste of boiled water. Well you won't have to wait long to hear people here.

I think if they made this a spin-off show called, "Alone for Dummies", I'd be okay with it. But watching people with no skills flail about with comments like, "I heard something, it's definitely not human"....well duh, you're in the forest. I can't do it. Please don't do more like this in this formate and if you do, call it something else.

I have no interest in format for Alone.

The characters are very relatable (being from a modern day background myself) and the show is very inclusive such as a survivalist with autism, another survivalist with mental health issues/ex addiction etc. This show is amazing! People with no survival skills are put into an environment they have never been with risk of predatory animals, starvation and cold weather.. can't go wrong for a TV show! I have watched three seasons of the American version of this show and I found this just as entertaining if not even better than the American version! If you enjoy bushcraft and wilderness survival (and don't mind occasional scenes of animal cruelty/death) then this show is for you.

Alone US (the original) has a group of people who make their living on survival, hunting and living off the land. I've watched them all, and even the Australian spin off (which was a little disappointing as a first season goes). While this is filmed in the same location and has the same title...the contestants are just people off the street! What a waste of time. We've seen on 10 American seasons where people have lasted into the heavy winter, made various shelters and even had moose meat so it is a completely different show when you have a group of Brits who have no experience. Not even someone from a Services or conservation/wildlife background. It's a rubbish Big Brother style, watch-them-eff-up show. How can you really prepare for living in a completely different climate, different wildlife and vegetation, with only 9 days worth of 'training'? It really is a waste of effort. I am sure that there are Brits out there who do have some similar skills. There are already shows that plop Bob from Down the Road into new countries, but if you are using this franchise name, surely stick to the format? At least for the first series? Or how about filming it somewhere remove in the UK? Won't be as cold as Canada but it is about being able to sustain yourself. What a blooming shame. Also, there is an annoying ping sound that is over used throughout.

The sound rape and unnecessary/ annoying commentary ruined an otherwise good franchise type of show. The corny music (worse) seemed like it was out of the 80s and how anyone thought it was a good idea has never seen the show and was probably high. I'm convinced they gave it to an intern that was a mutant satin seed that chose to torture us all. I haven't even made it through a full episode, the first season episode one. I have seen a lot of Alone and this is unsettling. I am going to push through knowing it's a mistake. It was probably not your fault, I'm sure you were possessed, or forced at gunpoint, possibly someone was kidnapped and you were coerced, who knows. But I can't put this on the series or one person but some type of freak abnormal event that doesn't fall on anyone but the mysteries of the universe and the unknown.