Les Stroud Survivorman: blueprint for TLD

I stumbled over this rather old survival show from 2005:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910794/?ref_=ttep_ep1

The first episode feels like TLD all over lol. This guy is thrown out in the middle of the Canadian wilderness and has 7 days to return back to civilization, without a map, food, water and with only one match. Yes that last part already makes it feel like TLD, also that he desperately wishes for a hatched, starts fire with cinderwood, stumbles over traintracks and so on. The only difference to TLD is that he actually takes everything only from nature, there are no huts to plunder. And his biggest fear are moose not wolves, he claims that male moose during mating seasons are the most dangerous animals in Canada.

He is completely alone and films himself for the whole episode. The only thing he knows is that a helicopter will search for him if he fails the objective. You learn alot that you really can use if you'd be ever in a similar situation, I mean I really like Ultimate Survival Alaske but I will never ice climb a wall or steer a dogsled. This show feels more hands on, more focused on survival rather then spectacle.

Not all episodes are in Canada, some are in the Desert, in Swamps or other mountaints. But there is even an episode (which I haven't seen yet) where he has to survive after a plane crash in snowy wilderness:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910801/?ref_=ttep_ep8

Sounds familiar?

You may also find this article a good reminder as to how dangerous conditions can be dropped into these scenarios [like our character in the game] without full previous training.

‘Survivorman’ Fan Dies in Canadian Wilderness

http://www.backpacker.com/news-and-even ... ilderness/

Survivorman's closing words pretty much say it all:

"“You need that time in the bush and there is no replacement,” Stroud said, speaking to the Star before Code’s body was located. “I wouldn’t attempt to solo until I’d done at least half a dozen or 10 courses . . . in the bush with people that knew what they were doing.”

Wow that's sad, but also a stark reminder that in contrary to TLD, surviving in wild nature is not a game.

..or that survival shows are shows. (: