So, does anyone watch the Discovery Channel? If you do, you’ve undoubtably seen advertisements for one of their latest darlings, Man vs. Wild, hosted by Bear Grylls. The premise is that Grylls is dropped via parachute in places like the Scottish highlands, a glacier in Greenland, or the deserts of Mexico (amongst others), and he has to survive until he can find his way out. He finds water to drink, eats spiders, and builds shelters, and shows his viewers what they need to do to stay alive.
Now, we’re now in the second season of this show (on Friday nights at 10:00 pm, I think), and we only started watching it because of Les Stroud.
Stroud hosts another show, “Survivorman,” which was originally on the Discovery-owned Science Channel, then appeared on the Discovery Channel last year in reruns… It’s very similar to “Man vs Wild,” but with a few differences I’ll get to shortly. Thankfully, while the show only lasted one season, it’s returning on August 10th to the Discovery Channel! Brooke and I are excited…
Anyway, here’s the thing: Stroud and Grylls are both very capable, but while Grylls goes off with a camera crew, Stroud goes alone. He carries 50 lbs of camera equipment with him (and a pocket knife!), sets them up along the way so he can tape himself walking by, then backtracks to pick it up again. Stroud doesn’t do anything stupid, because he doesn’t have a camera crew with him – Grylls will jump down a waterfall to show you the “safe” way to do it, but in reality, the “safe” way is to simply avoid the waterfall altogether. He can only do it because there’s a group of people with him in case he screws up.
That, and Grylls will do things like drink his pee to retain water. Stroud never does that – he would instead extract water from nearby trees or harvest it from a contraption he built to catch dew in the morning… It seems like Grylls has a bit more “shock factor” than Stroud cares to (i.e. not quite as based in what I call “realistic situations”…).
And that’s where the controversy begins. Last week, I happened to have Letterman on and he brought up some “questions” that are being asked by a news organization in Britain. Apparently, having that camera crew with you has its advantages, like allowing you to stay in a hotel, or having an accompanying survival specialist do most of the work at crafting the raft that gets you off a deserted island.
These are questions Brooke and I had from the beginning of the show… We don’t have these questions with “Survivorman,” however, as it’s quite obvious that no one is with the man for 7 days. We also like the fact that Stroud mentions that he doesn’t like killing animals, “but if you’re in a survival situation, it’s all fair game” – Grylls, instead, makes no such mention and seems to revel in catching a rabbit (or turtle) and killing it on camera. Stroud isn’t preachy about it at all…we’re just glad he mentions it briefly and moves right on…
Anyway, you ought to check it out…both shows…see what you think. This week is Shark Week on Discovery though, so neither one is on (but Les Stroud is hosting!), but next week, you can catch reruns and new episodes of each. “Survivorman” is the superior show, but “Man vs Wild” is still entertaining…
Anyone ever watch these shows? Besides Brooke? I’m sure no one cares…just had to get it out there… 😛
Dude, the episode where Grylls takes out that rabbit by hurling a stick at it sidearm is freakin’ awesome. Well, the whole episode isn’t awesome, just that part. I could watch that little 3 second bit over and over.
Survivorman is way more hardcore, though. Like those shots where he climbs down some ridiculous cliff, sets up his camera, climbs _back up_ the cliff, then films himself coming back down again.
I should add that I don’t make a point to watch those shows, but if there’s nothing else on and I’m stuck watching t.v. ’cause the wife’s on the comp, I’ll watch them.
I like both shows. I’ll admit I didn’t watch Survivorman until I had watched several episodes of Man Vs. Wild. I don’t know, there’s something about Man vs. Wild that I like. Of course, I don’t watch much other than Discovery anyway.
So, anybody interested in a Survivorman premiere party at our house on the 10th? Maybe I’ll make rabbit and pine needle tea!
Where are we going to catch a rabbit?! Supposedly there are opossums and raccoons in Soulard, though…maybe we can catch and eat one of those?
…and rather than pine needle tea, I’d recommend gin… Tastes about the same, but much more fun… 😛
I think either one should “survive” in an urban setting for seven days with no money. This would be similar to what the homeless folks experience and would give us a new and interesting insight to life on the street.
I didn’t read that at all. Just thought I’d tell you.
I’m bored and wanted to say hi.
Both shows are good but I perfer Survivorman. I like the fact that Les goes in alone. He also survives for seven days and does not try to get out after only three. Les also takes the time to teach you something about survival and not just tell you about it.
Stroud does a whole lot better show and shows you how to realisticly survive in certain scenarios. Grylls on the other hand kinda goes off in childish tangents and kinda juts acts for the camera. its the classic eduactional tv vs. big flashy lets stare at the screen blankly and yell oohhh and ahhhh tv. In my opinion brylls might be just as capable as stround but survivor man is a lot better show. You kinda notice how they were introduced. survivor man started with commercials talking about surviving in this scenario and well show you how to do it. Man vs. Wild started with a kinda unheard of bang. this is the first commercial i heard. ” Many have heard of the legend of baaarrrrrrrrr Grylllllsssssss!!!!!!!!!! he was in british special ops…. has black belt…….. he survives in stufff……..yea……hes a legend….” Firstly i had never even heard of him and here is this commercial telling mee is a friking legend, and he has a black belt… well what does that matter… is he going to spar with the film crew in his spar time? why even include that useless piece of triia. Les was introduced in a smart way and Bear was intoduced with a flashy commercial which infromed you of a legened who almost nobody eevn supposedly knew about. As for me i refuse to watch Man Vs. Wild.