Alone UK

I have seen the original Alone series and thoroughly enjoyed it so I had to give this one a try. I was skeptical at first after seeing the lack of experience the contestants had. I underestimated quite a few of them and it was great to see them persevere and adapt to the unknown. I would like to see more experienced members take on the second season; many of them didn't seem to know what they were getting themselves into. The lack of research done beforehand was frustrating to watch. I think it would be more endearing to watch people that are skilled, enthusiastic and well equipped to succeed.

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.

Although not every season of Alone USA was perfect, the vast majority made for compelling viewing and broke the mould of currently awful reality shows.

The format of using experienced outdoor experts and military vetrans worked perfectly for those shows.

Then along comes Alone UK placing completely inexperienced people into an environment totally outside their abilities.

While the original series produced characters that the viewer could empathise with, the UK show introduces characters who at best, the viewer feels sorry for, and at worst, prayed for them to tap out asap!

The addition of nudity and excessive foul language reflects badly on the UK and is really unnecessary.

Sorry, but Channel 4 has completely missed the point of the tried and tested formula used on the Original Alone seasons, and it can only be hoped they will change if there happens to be further seasons.

I have not watched the American or Australian versions of this show which apparently have more experienced contestants however if you like to watch complete novices survive in the Canadian wilderness with bears coming into camp you'll love this. Contestants have basic skills as it would be pretty boring if they were survival experts. The whole point of the show is to watch them struggle to deal with the psychological effects of being terrified alone at night with wild animals roaming around the woods and hunt for food in order to stay as long as possible to win the cash not breeze through it like Bear Grylls as implied in other reviews. Best reality TV I've seen for a while. Ignore the negative reviews and give it a go.

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.