TV Show Review: Alone

I was at my Mom’s house the other day with plans of taking her by the library.  We were dismayed to discover that January 2nd is the day that New Years is observed for city workers.  With the library closed, we headed back to the house.  I had work I needed to do for clients so set about doing it while she read.

I tend to take breaks from my work so headed over the couch to watch some TV on the iPad. (A benefit of the 125 new channels added from my recent renegotiations.)

One thing led to another and we started a conversation about the show I had just begun – season two of  Alone on the History Channel.  It is a show that puts 10 people in various locations in the wilderness of Vancouver Island with limited survival gear and a few cameras (ala Les Stroud’s Survivorman – a show I really liked that was much better than the uber-fake Bear Grylls shows.)

The conversation led to me casting the show to her TV via Google Chromecast (technology is a great thing) and Mama got sucked into the show with me.  What started as me watching Alone, well… alone… during my breaks, changed into us watching Alone together in a serious binge session.

It was around 11pm when we finally stopped saying, “One more episode” and went to bed.

I am writing this at 6:30 am fully expecting her to get up soon, do her morning routine and then settle in for the final two episodes before the library opens.

So what are my thoughts on the show?  Is this a ‘real’ reality show or just another faked one?  Let’s just say is more real than most of them but the logistics of getting good video and telling a good story still force producers to remove a lot of the real.

Yes, the show is edited to heighten drama and tell a better story.  That means the sequences we see are likely out of order and the video selections taken from what must be a ton of footage is only the interesting stuff.

In addition, these cameras must go through a lot of batteries and memory cards.  That means either a crap-ton of equipment is there (off camera) or the producers regularly check in to refresh supplies.  I am guessing the latter because you wouldn’t want to risk ruining the footage if it got flooded etc.  I am confident that during that time, the producers work hard to not influence the participants – maybe even doing the supply swap at a designated swap spot away from camp.

This is all conjecture on my part and very out of character for me to not be skeptical but its what my gut is telling me and I trust that.

If there is a lesson to be learned from the show it is that we are indeed social creatures.  We need others.  We need friends and family.  We need the company of others. I am grateful that I am enjoying binge watching Alone together with my mom.  Good times!

by Chris Doelle

PS.  I realize that Season Three is out already and rest assured, I will catch up.  🙂