MovieChat Forums > Man vs. Wild (2006) Discussion > How do people still watch this?

How do people still watch this?

posted 16 years ago by cjoklb
47 replies | jump to latest

Like many, I stopped watching the instant I found out the show is fake. Guys in bear suits? Hotel stays? Camera crew helping him out with food? This show was initially advertised as a show that can give you advice on how to survive in the wild. As soon as the truth was known, the show added a disclaimer and changed its objective to "entertainment," and nothing else.

Meanwhile, Survivorman was doing the same thing, only he didn't have a camera crew, he didn't stay in hotel rooms... he did everything on his own.

Now, Survivorman has quit the game. If someone wants to watch this kind of show, they only have Bear now... there is no alternative anymore.

Bear is insulting your intelligence with every lie he tells you in his show. He thinks that you are stupid enough to believe everything he says. He only cares about ratings. His advice can potentially get you killed, so watch this show only for the entertainment value.

[–] xdcloudd44 15 years ago

I'm guessing all those bugs that he eats are fake? Dont think so..

[–] tjones202 15 years ago

It's interesting. Plus, he still does some very ballsy stuff. Yes, it is horribly staged, but it's just entertainment.

I think as far as being staged, the Montana (USA) Rockies episode was the most obvious. He conveniently finds a cabin, chain and telegraph wire he MAY need later, and of course, he does. He uses the wire to make a zip line, and the the chain to pull himself up onto a train trestle. Both ballsy things to do, but I 100% guarantee both the zip line and the chain were secured and proven safe before he supposedly haphazardly attempted to use them as is.

Of course, the worst thing about that episode was going through the narrow train tunnel at the end. Once again, danger conveniently shows on time and halfway through the tunnel they are forced to flee. Hoping to escape before being run down. Guess what happens? Yes, Bear dives out of the tunnel, barely escaping the train. All I could think of was how slow Bear must be if a guy with a camera can beat him out of the tunnel and film him diving out of the way of the train.

Of course, the fakery didn't end there, the crew were then able to somehow compose themselves after their harrowing run for life and hop onto the speeding train. Even the cameraman! Wow, that sucker must have been going 5 mph.

That was easily the most staged episode I've seen. Although I have not seen them all.

[–] P_Cornelius 15 years ago

"He uses the wire to make a zip line, and the the chain to pull himself up onto a train trestle. Both ballsy things to do, but I 100% guarantee both the zip line and the chain were secured and proven safe before he supposedly haphazardly attempted to use them as is."

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Unfortunately, some poor idiot will watch that episode, throw a bike chain over some ledge, and drop to their death a few hundred feet below.

[–] rickathedj 15 years ago

"He uses the wire to make a zip line, and the the chain to pull himself up onto a train trestle. Both ballsy things to do, but I 100% guarantee both the zip line and the chain were secured and proven safe before he supposedly haphazardly attempted to use them as is."

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Unfortunately, some poor idiot will watch that episode, throw a bike chain over some ledge, and drop to their death a few hundred feet below.

You say that like its a bad thing.

[–] P_Cornelius 15 years ago

"You say that like its a bad thing."

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It will be for Bear, when the lawsuits start dropping in. I haven't seen someone risk such a deadly lawsuit since those Chinese guys were caught faking toothpaste and powdered milk with poisonous substitutes.

[–] rickathedj 15 years ago

If they die in the process they won't be around to sue. : )

[–] ricardosantos_1315 15 years ago

LOL, thank you captain obvious. The point of this show is SHOWING survival techniques, everyone knows Bear isn't really lost. What, you thought the camera crew slept on the trees with Bear? You thought they were actually lost? How are you so certain that Survivorman didn't do the same thing, were you there to see what they did behind the scenes?

Please, don't be so ingenuous...

And Bear is probably the most charismatic presenter I've ever seen.

[–] tsb2rxn 15 years ago

eh, parts of the show are entertaining but for a survival show he does some pretty stupid and needlessly dangerous things. if the show was presented as let's see Bear try this challenge or that challenge, then fine. But the show is pretending to be a survival guide for the audience and some of the things seem like they have a better chance of getting someone killed than helping them survive lol

[–] Porkleaker 14 years ago

I always knew it was fake, but I had been exposed to Survivorman before Man vs. Hotel. And even then I checked out his claims at being the youngest Brit to summit Mount Everest and found out that the year before his show even aired, that this was no longer true. However they decided to claim this accomplishment regardless.
And then checking in to his role in the S.A.S...Oh shocker, he was in the S.A.S TA Reserves. Anyone can join between the ages of 18 and 34 so long as they don't have a criminal record. Courses are on weekends. There's clearly a huge difference between the actual S.A.S and their Reserve forces, Bear just couldn't hack it.

He's basically the Steve Irwin of Survival, it's only a matter of time before he gets taken out. I'm patiently waiting.

[–] SubZeroMK 14 years ago

troll

[–] rehtep69 14 years ago

"they only have Bear now" what the hell are you talking about? We still have the best of the lot, Ray Mears.

[–] DidymusLeonheart 13 years ago

yeah and it does offer advice on how to survive in the wild. I honestly don't care what happens when the camera stops rolling (obviously he needs to stay somewhere warm to prevent hypothermia.) He knows an awful lot about the area, plant life, animals, etc.

**NOTE** in case people haven't paid attention (which is quite evident) he is offering ADVICE on how to survive. The ADVICE is the show. THIS ADVICE IS FOR WORST CASE SCENARIOS.