TV: Tale of two shows - "Man vs. Wild" and "Survivorman"

There are two competing philosophies in most wilderness shows on Discovery/OLN/etc. One is entertainment - this is cable television, after all, and people want to see things that are interesting. The second is education - the general public expects that the things that are being told will edify them somehow, especially since the subject matter is the natural world. Both aims are worthy, and most shows feature a blend of each.

Man vs. Wild

Bear Grylls, a former SAS soldier, hosts this show featuring some of the most extreme survival techniques you can think of. Bear is in great shape (I suspect most former SAS guys are :-) ) and the things he attempts are obviously more for entertainment value than actual practicality. Not many lost hikers in the Moab desert would attempt a 30 foot chimney climb, or a swim across the Colorado. All the "surviving" is heavily scripted and a camera crew is present at all times. "Man vs. Wild" is all about showing the craziest stuff possible, and emulating many of the stunts attempted here would be suicidal.

Survivorman

Les Stroud is the survivor and sole camera man in "Survivorman." Each episode, he is dropped into a survival situation with minimal supplies, 50 pounds of camera equipment, and his wits. He is alone, and must film the entire show himself while surviving for 7 days. Les always gives very practical advice and generally sticks to that advice, though he does demonstrate the consequences and remedies of inappropriate survival choices.

Which one should you watch to be a survivor? Well, neither, of course - I suspect a basic first aid course or a long camping trip with an experienced guide would teach you more than a mere TV show. "Man vs. Wild" has a slick, polished feel while "Survivorman" goes more for "Blair Witch" cinéma vérité. Each is entertaining and educational for different reasons. On balance, I prefer "Survivorman," but not because anything is inherently wrong with the concept of wilderness survival as entertainment.