xgraeme
Joined Dec 2006
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xgraeme's rating
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xgraeme's rating
Hunted is a fast-paced, addictive game of modern hide and seek. Civilian contestants go on the run, while teams of elite former FBI, CIA, and military professionals try to track them down using real-world surveillance tools. It's clever, suspenseful, and entertaining-but it also raises some big questions.
Many of the "retired" investigators look barely past 35, which makes you wonder: couldn't these skilled professionals be helping solve real cases instead of chasing volunteers for a TV show?
More importantly, Hunted serves as a subtle warning. It shows just how easily we can be tracked-through phones, bank cards, social media, cameras, and more. Everyday viewers should take note: we give up a lot of personal data without thinking, and not just to law enforcement. Hackers and scammers are out there too.
As for criminals thinking this show offers a how-to guide for going off the grid-don't get cocky. What's shown here is the surface. Real investigators have far more tricks up their sleeves that aren't shown for good reason.
In short, Hunted is more than just entertainment. It's a glimpse into the reach of modern surveillance-and a reminder to guard your digital footprint.
Many of the "retired" investigators look barely past 35, which makes you wonder: couldn't these skilled professionals be helping solve real cases instead of chasing volunteers for a TV show?
More importantly, Hunted serves as a subtle warning. It shows just how easily we can be tracked-through phones, bank cards, social media, cameras, and more. Everyday viewers should take note: we give up a lot of personal data without thinking, and not just to law enforcement. Hackers and scammers are out there too.
As for criminals thinking this show offers a how-to guide for going off the grid-don't get cocky. What's shown here is the surface. Real investigators have far more tricks up their sleeves that aren't shown for good reason.
In short, Hunted is more than just entertainment. It's a glimpse into the reach of modern surveillance-and a reminder to guard your digital footprint.
I watched Survive the Raft expecting a social experiment, but it quickly felt like a platform for conflict-particularly political and racial conflict-rather than cooperation.
From the beginning, I felt CJ was unfairly targeted, especially by Lashanna, who came off as loud, aggressive, and immediately confrontational. CJ's calm response-"I was just attacked in a group for how I look... based on my appearance..."-was a standout moment. He called out the hypocrisy in how assumptions were made about him based on his being a white male. And the silence that followed said a lot.
The show seems to lean into the same divisive narratives we see all too often in media: constant focus on race and identity over character and individual merit. Many of us are tired of being told what to think about each other based on skin color. Most Americans, I believe, care far more about someone's integrity, work ethic, and how they treat others than what box they check on a census.
Things really took a turn for the worse when Jimmy joined the raft. Almost immediately, he started sabotaging CJ's standing with the group, spreading lies and twisting CJ's words to stir up gossip-especially among the women. This snowballed quickly and led to a poorly timed comment about Russell, which gave the group an excuse to vote CJ off. It was frustrating to watch, because without Jimmy's meddling, CJ-a skilled spear fisher, level-headed presence, and strong competitor-would have likely made it to the end. His exit felt orchestrated, not earned.
Finally, in the last bounty mission, players were given the option to cross off names from the list-eliminating others from sharing in the final cash prize. Not one of them did it. Not even Jimmy, who had proven himself to be manipulative and money-driven. That moment felt too clean, too perfect. Are we really supposed to believe that no one tried to cut anyone out for a bigger payday? It came across as scripted, or at least heavily influenced behind the scenes, which undercut the entire social experiment premise.
From the beginning, I felt CJ was unfairly targeted, especially by Lashanna, who came off as loud, aggressive, and immediately confrontational. CJ's calm response-"I was just attacked in a group for how I look... based on my appearance..."-was a standout moment. He called out the hypocrisy in how assumptions were made about him based on his being a white male. And the silence that followed said a lot.
The show seems to lean into the same divisive narratives we see all too often in media: constant focus on race and identity over character and individual merit. Many of us are tired of being told what to think about each other based on skin color. Most Americans, I believe, care far more about someone's integrity, work ethic, and how they treat others than what box they check on a census.
Things really took a turn for the worse when Jimmy joined the raft. Almost immediately, he started sabotaging CJ's standing with the group, spreading lies and twisting CJ's words to stir up gossip-especially among the women. This snowballed quickly and led to a poorly timed comment about Russell, which gave the group an excuse to vote CJ off. It was frustrating to watch, because without Jimmy's meddling, CJ-a skilled spear fisher, level-headed presence, and strong competitor-would have likely made it to the end. His exit felt orchestrated, not earned.
Finally, in the last bounty mission, players were given the option to cross off names from the list-eliminating others from sharing in the final cash prize. Not one of them did it. Not even Jimmy, who had proven himself to be manipulative and money-driven. That moment felt too clean, too perfect. Are we really supposed to believe that no one tried to cut anyone out for a bigger payday? It came across as scripted, or at least heavily influenced behind the scenes, which undercut the entire social experiment premise.
I've seen some ridiculous moments in survival TV, but this one took the cake-or should I say, didn't, because they were starving. In this episode, the castaways-already hungry, weak, and desperate-somehow decide to adopt a pig rather than eat it. Not just spare it. Adopt it! As if they're on Animal Planet instead of a survival show.
The driving force behind this bizarre decision? Pete, who's been meat-free for all of five months but suddenly thinks he's the moral compass of the entire group. He didn't suggest, he demanded that they not eat the pig, and somehow the rest went along with it, even though they were starving! It wasn't a group consensus-it was a case of the loudest voice winning while everyone else grew quieter (and thinner) by the day.
Then there's Saleyha, who pulled out the "I can't eat pork, I'm Muslim" card-which on the surface, sounds fair. But let's not pretend she doesn't know that Islamic law allows exceptions in life-or-death situations. The rule is there for exactly this kind of scenario. Her refusal felt more like a convenient out than a true expression of belief.
But the real kicker? After not eating the pig and continuing to starve, they held a funeral for it. A funeral! At sea! I've seen humans get less ceremony than this pig got. They lovingly sent it off like some tragic fallen hero when it could have been a life-saving roast! It was equal parts absurd and maddening!
And the next episode?! Proof of the cost! The castaways are weighed, and many have lost 20 to 30 pounds in under a month! That's not character-building-that's dangerous. And completely avoidable if they'd made the obvious choice and used the pig for what nature provided it for in a survival context: food!
This episode was a masterclass in performative ethics, misplaced emotion, and how NOT to survive in the wild. If this group ever finds itself in a real survival situation, heaven help them-because the pigs sure won't.
Rating: 1.5/5 - Survival theatre at its most delusional.
The driving force behind this bizarre decision? Pete, who's been meat-free for all of five months but suddenly thinks he's the moral compass of the entire group. He didn't suggest, he demanded that they not eat the pig, and somehow the rest went along with it, even though they were starving! It wasn't a group consensus-it was a case of the loudest voice winning while everyone else grew quieter (and thinner) by the day.
Then there's Saleyha, who pulled out the "I can't eat pork, I'm Muslim" card-which on the surface, sounds fair. But let's not pretend she doesn't know that Islamic law allows exceptions in life-or-death situations. The rule is there for exactly this kind of scenario. Her refusal felt more like a convenient out than a true expression of belief.
But the real kicker? After not eating the pig and continuing to starve, they held a funeral for it. A funeral! At sea! I've seen humans get less ceremony than this pig got. They lovingly sent it off like some tragic fallen hero when it could have been a life-saving roast! It was equal parts absurd and maddening!
And the next episode?! Proof of the cost! The castaways are weighed, and many have lost 20 to 30 pounds in under a month! That's not character-building-that's dangerous. And completely avoidable if they'd made the obvious choice and used the pig for what nature provided it for in a survival context: food!
This episode was a masterclass in performative ethics, misplaced emotion, and how NOT to survive in the wild. If this group ever finds itself in a real survival situation, heaven help them-because the pigs sure won't.
Rating: 1.5/5 - Survival theatre at its most delusional.