National Geographic - Ultimate Survival Alaska

Not a lot on TV is worth watching, in my opinion. I'm not sure if you recall, but the Discovery Channel ran a two season series called Out of the Wild a few years back. They were great seasons - one in Alaska and one is Venezuela, I believe, and they are free on Amazon if you are a Prime member. The premise was that of a very raw survival show - no competitions, no supplemental aid, and not really any rules other than keep going and make it back to civilization. The Alaska series was a stark revelation of what hard-core winter survival can look like with little food, little shelter, and desperate cold everywhere. The Venezuela season was good too and undoubtedly rough, but lacked the dogged endurance than I felt the Alaska competitors exhibited. As a lifelong southerner, I am a little bit afraid of real winter, I think.

Anyway, now National Geographic has, among the numerous Alaska-themed shows on right now, a terrific series called Ultimate Survival Alaska. Also two seasons, just skip to the second and watch if first if you are new to the show. This second season is superior to the first in nearly every way, and it is the only show I have stayed with all season this year. Instead of a strictly endurance challenge, season two features three teams of specialized "outdoorsmen" racing in legs across varied terrain. I won't spoil any of it for you, but the show so far strikes a nice balance between interesting, slightly suspenseful, and lighthearted without created drama. If you haven't yet, give the show a try!