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Ever watch "Man versus Wild"

SkyChimp

SkyChimp

New member
If you don't know what it is, the premise of the show is that the host is dropped off in some remote place and he shows you what to do to survive until you reach civilization.

I'm watching right now. The man who hosts the show is "lost" in Australia. He's making his way through the desert. He's hungry and catches a Black Headed Python. He goes on to explain that Australian law only allows Aborigines and those lost in the wilderness to kill wildlife. Thereby, he smashes the Python on a rock, kills and eats it.

Hmmmm. I'm not sure I like the idea of this guy killing real wildlife for entertainment. And given the fact the guy is being followed by a camera crew, I doubt he qualifies as "stranded in the wilderness."

Just a random thought. Thanks for the read.
 
I watch Bear all the time, I really like the show. He has killed and eaten alot of critters that I have seen and I like it when he does. I don't consider it just "entertainment" as I have learned alot of little thing that would definitely help if I was stranded some where.
 
I haven't seen this, but I'm addicted to Ray Mears' shows. If I'm ever stranded somewhere I'll want him along to increase the survival chances
 
I watched it a few times. It wasn't very entertaining to me because I couldn't get over how staged it all was.
 
What I like about Ray Mears, is that apart from all the wealth of info that I'm hopefully never going to use, he shows great respect for the traditional skills and native people of whever he is filming, without going for dramatic 'oh wow' stuff. His series on recreating real survival situations, like people who were stranded in Arnheimland or shipwrecked are as good as the ones when he visits and stays with isolated tribes and learns their traditional skills (erm, can you tell I'm a fan?)
 
I have watched it but the guy is a nut. I mean...in one episode he picks a "random" place and is looking for bird eggs to eat. Well in the first place he looks he finds these huge eggs and then eats one raw. It would help if you watch the shows and are ever in a situation like that.

I haven't seen the one where he kills the python but couldn't he say...this is just a show and if you are stuck like this you can eat this type of thing or you can't eat this...but I am not eating this because I have a box of granola bars in my backpack and a private jet behind that mountain.
 
I watched one episode, and never will again. It was the most incredibly fake and staged show I've ever seen. He's about as stranded as I am at this very moment. It makes Austin Powers' show look real and spontaneous.
 
I watch

for the odd tidbits of information. If you don't have experience rock climbing or diving he'll probably get you killed.
 
Who are you guys talking about? Is there some confusion between Ray Mears and other survival guys?

I've never head of the program 'Man vs. Wild', but it sounds very similar to an english show called 'Born Survivor'. The guy who presents this show is called something like 'Bear Grillis'. I saw him bite into a raw freshly killed fish! pretty horrible! hehe

I can see the opinion that because he's filming a show he shouldn't kill the animal, but the reason the show is entertaining is because he IS in a survival situation, the camera crew are there to observe. He kills that snake and then eats it, not just for show.

Ray Mears is the MAN by the way. You have to love the respect for nature and native cultures and practises/traditions that guy has. Also he's no fake, and gives guidance to the british army on survival, he's also well known for spending time alone in the wilderness.
 
Bear Grillis does "Born Survivor" for the BBC, and "Man vs. Wild" for the Discovery Channel...


Its funny, at least to me, that snake people are freaking out over the python in Australia
yet
no one freaked out over the gartersnake in California
or
the turtle in Florida

its what he does
its what you'd have to do
i'm pretty sure if it were easier for him to find a fish in Australia then he would have
 
The Nothing said:
Bear Grillis does "Born Survivor" for the BBC, and "Man vs. Wild" for the Discovery Channel...


Its funny, at least to me, that snake people are freaking out over the python in Australia
yet
no one freaked out over the gartersnake in California
or
the turtle in Florida

its what he does
its what you'd have to do
i'm pretty sure if it were easier for him to find a fish in Australia then he would have
Click to expand...


yes i agree. This is more than entertainment, he is educating the people that watch it what to do in this "life or death" situation. I'm sure the camera men get their own water and food too. They're just following him doing what he does.
 
i always like to think while Bear's settling down for boiled ferns, or fresh grubs, the camera guy is sitting there eating a Snickers bar, shaking his head, and breaking out the barf-bag
 
I dig the show and have no problems with what he eates. The python... he was trying to survive, did he put himself in that position so we would know what to do? Yes. Was he still trying to survive himself? Yes. Was he obeying the law? Yes. He does not eat endangered animals in the states when he comes upon them because the laws are tougher.

Good entertainment!
 
This program caused quite a debate on the python forums. Personally, I am at a loss as to what passes for entertainment on TV. While I generally love the Discovery Channel, this particular show's appeal escapes me. I suffered through an abused childhood during which I was frequently forced to go camping in the wilds of Colorado and Wyoming, the highlight of which was a close encounter. with a Grizzly bear. Now I consider "roughing it" a weekend at the Awahnee in Yosemite. Don't get me wrong, I will still go hunting and fishing...as long as the lodge has a proper wine list.

Seriously, I think everyone should learn basic survival skills...you know like what to do if you lose your visa card and how to install a back up battery in your cell phone and which caterer delivers so you don't have to cook python when you forgot to pack lunch.
 
I don't get the point of staging a scenario where you're forced to eat a protected species.
But that's me.
Unless ratings are helped by the "EW GROSS!! that guy's eating a snake!!" factor. I would call that a missed opportunity to show that while he cares about the realism of the show (and walking the walk so to speak) he has respect for the wildlife there as well. A stronger point for the fact that he never makes an exception otherwise.
Would it be any less educational to show us how to catch the snake, make a fire, and then ask a camera man for a powerbar?

I'm not suggesting we string the guy up, but it doesn't make any sence to call that necessity..
 
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