Survivorman stars Les Stroud. Les is a Canadian survival expert and film-maker. Evidently, he and his wife spent a year in the woods only using Stone Age technology. He's still here to do this series so he must know a thing or two about survival. In each show, Les is left in the wild with only a few meager items and "50 lbs. of camera gear". He films the adventure himself so, in addition to actually surviving, he must spend a large part of his time filming (including warming the batteries, checking the equipment, setting up shots, retrieving his camera after he filmed himself walking away, etc.)
Man vs. Wild stars Bear Grylls. Bear is a former British special forces soldier and Mt. Everest climber. He also probably knows a thing or two about survival in addition to his proficiency at parachuting and rappelling (abseiling as he calls it). A production crew of unknown size accompanies Bear throughout the adventure so all he has to do is survive.
Ratings
Survivorman
- Realism (4 campfires): There is little doubt that Les Stroud is out there, in the wilderness, by himself. Granted, his 50 lbs. of camera gear could hide 5 lbs. of energy bars and we wouldn't know but the show feels authentic. It feels like he's playing it straight. Furthermore, this show tries to put the survival situation in the context of a real scenario, i.e. a small plane crash, a dirt bike breakdown in the Sonora, etc.
- Survival Techniques (3.5 campfires): Les comes across as an authentic survival expert. He tries to demonstrate various survival techniques tied to his scenario, i.e. starting a fire with the battery from his crashed small plane. The most important thing is that his judgment and survival decision-making is on display and could provide guidance to someone in a similar situation. If stuck in asimilar situation, if you asked yourself, what would Les do, it could increas your survival chances
- Entertainment (2 campfires): I enjoy the series and it seems to be a hit for the Discovery Channel networks. That said, it's enjoyability is subtle - mostly derived from watching someone who seems to be truly an expert - survive.
Man vs. Wild
- Realism (3 campfires): On the other hand, it is clear that Bear Grylls is not alone. From the almost hidden safety rope attached while he uses a cable to traverse an alpine crevice to the life vest that is clearly stuffed under his shirt as he floats down a river. There are no contextual scenarios in this show. Bear gets into the wilderness by showcasing the parachuting and rappelling skills he presumably picked up in the British Army. While we might lose our kayak while vacationing on the coast of Costa Rica, we probably aren't going to "tree jump" into the jungle by parachute. The entry only adds to the unreality of the show.
- Survival Techniques (1 campfire): Bear also displays a range of survival techniques. He seems to have done his research and is proficient in the techniques. If it stopped there the show would probably get 3 campfires but if it doesn't. Throughout the show, Bear does a lot of stunts that would most likely get you killed. He's willing to free climb cliffs (no ropes), dunk himself in rivers in cold environments (where'd that life vest under his shirt come from?), leave a perfectly good island to set out across the Pacific in a home-made raft, and risk being trapped below the surface of dammed canyon water. Do not try these in the wilderness. People with fewer skills, less athletic ability, and without a production crew of unknown size and capability would be likely to die if following Bear to the letter.
- Entertainment (3 campfires): The stunts that hurt Bear's Survival Techniques rating definitely make the show entertaining whether he's free-climbing a cliff just to get a look around (how did the camera crew make it up there?), trying to dive under a debris dam in a canyon in the Moab (if there was a way out under the water then why doesn't the water drain?), or setting off into the Pacific in a raft that barely floats with only 5 days of water in the hopes of signalling a container ship (keep in mind that Steve Callahan crossed the entire Atlantic and spent 76 days afloat, signalling ships with flares and was never spotted - it helps if you have a production crew with a radio along - see the book Adrift in the books section). Bear also plays into the gross-out factor that has made shows like Fear Factor and the contests on Survivor so endearing. He truly seems to relish eating disgusting things. (and drinking liquid squeezed from fresh elephant dung). These might be useful to show the broad range of things that could provide nourishment but would probably just induce vomiting in most of us. They do enhance the entertainment value.
In conclusion, both shows are enjoyable and contain some sound survival advice. That said, Survivorman really is more focused on survival whereas Man vs. Wild is more focused on entertainment. I enjoy watching both but, if I were in a survival situation, I'd want to be like Les more than Bear.
Good luck (luck favors the prepared)!
