Can we talk?

Naked and Afraid

         Sounds like a title for a good scary novel. But it's a TV show. Uh huh. I watched an hour show. The camera fortunately blurs our the appropriate circles of film. Two individuals actually go out naked on some uncivilized island or jungle and have to survive for 21 days, with only one tool each, no food or water.

         This sounded crazy. I thought a few minutes and I would be done. But I watched the whole thing. They are screened in advance for good health and physical endurance. They do not carry bug spray, sunglasses or sun screen, soap or toothpaste, or toilet paper. They have no compass, only a map. Each is driven separately, having never met each other.

         When they reach the drop off point, they strip, and they are given a burlap sack which drapes over one shoulder or around the neck and conveniently hangs over their privates at times. The sack is used to carry any food or things they pick up. They are given their choice of a tool. On the show I saw, the woman chose some weird kind of knife. The man picked a pot with lid, so they could boil water. No they do not have matches. They are dropped off about a mile apart and wander around to meet up for the first time.

         And wouldn't you know, it would be one man, one woman. Naked. How many people really want to endure something like that? Not a sexy atmosphere. A survival atmosphere with someone of the opposite sex, naked, unarmed, grubbing to survive. The bugs are everywhere. They sweat in the heat. The bare skin burns in the sun. And they can't find clean drinking water. They know there is some in the jungle, but there's also alligators there.

         In this episode, they decide shelter is their first priority because of the sun and heat. The guy actually does a good job of building a frame with natural materials latched together and pushed into the sand. She uses her knife to cut green branches with broad leaves. That becomes the roof and the beds. By the second day, they hide in the shade of the shelter, but realize they are dehydrated and must find water. They turn to snails, eaten raw, for protein. He knows this works from book knowledge. Successfully building a fire turns out to be a severe problem for them.

         At the end of the show, they rank them again. Both have lost a lot of weight, him more than her. Their feet are cut up, and they are sunburned and tired. He is humbled, but has actually learned new skills. She actually had good experience to start, but not much confidence. She ends up with a higher rating, because she succeeded in things they needed, and her self esteem has grown.

         I actually felt like the show had merit. Survival skills interest a lot of people. I'm not completely sold on the idea of them being totally naked to do it, but the title probably does get more people to watch.