TLD Compared to Survival TV Shows

[robdoar]

@elloco999 Of the "TV Guys" I think Ray Mears was the most true. His shows were more like documentaries, including indigenous people who really do survive off the land.

@LoganG is spot on with ratings being the almighty in US shows.

That's not to say that there isn't good information in any of the other shows... unfortunately, it's often buried in mounds of BS.

If you want to learn, spend time with experts first hand.

[taeonas]

As others have already said, when it comes to TV survival experts.... yeah. No. Just no.

I'm no expert in wilderness survival, but my honest impression of most of them is that they would be an active detriment to an honest survival situation I found myself in, except in their native environments, and even then, only in some cases.

The only thing I can think of to add to this is that if you want a good, long laugh, watch Les Stroud's documentary about him building his house. I didn't know if I wanted to laugh, cry, or scream most of the time. Maybe its a construction thing, or an actually knowing how electricity works thing, or just not being absurdly optimistic about the weather, or... OK, no, its just really one of the most unflattering things I've ever seen anyone self publish.

I actually sort of respect him for that, but good lord man. let's just say I would not ask him to help me build a house.... or any substantial long term shelter really, let alone the more involved projects like the well and electrical. Well, maybe to help, as an apprentice.

On the general point, surviving a wilderness is a different skill set for each wilderness, and that's just the way it is. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying, or maybe only referring to the sort of attitude you have to have. As far as attitude goes... you do need a good (stubborn, paranoid, industrious, etc) one, but you need a lot more than it as well. You need skills.

TV doesn't teach you skills. Practice does.

Knowing what to do is nothing if you don't know how to do it.

[ApexPredator]

I hope every new game in TLD starts with us in a single engine plane that we jump out of blind folded.

[thrasher1016]

Hate to necro this a bit, but in regard to some of those TV shows...

Survivorman is the only one I really like, because it's him and some smarts alone in the woods (plus one in the "Survivorman & Son episodes).

YES, he learns from locals prior to the survival stay if he was in an area he's not familiar with, but in places he already knows, he just goes. Watching the 'making of" episodes is really good for those that might doubt him too.

Dual Survival is a weird one...

The original guys - Dave Canterbury and Cody Lundin - were great together, and while I forget the reason Dave left, it took something real from the show.

Now, they introduced Joe Teti to the show to replace Dave, and here's where it went all squiffy...

All that bada$$ SOF work that he says he's done? Sure, I know he did the training, did the stateside ops, did some overseas deployments, but he NEVER lived an ACTIVE DUTY LIFE as an operator. Single point of proof? Someone got his DD-214. :lol: This has all been wrung out on multiple sites and blogs across the internet, because some folks got curious as to how a guy like that got to running his mouth and got on TV, and so on...

And that brings me to the second point...

If he WERE STILL or was such a big deal in the SOF community, he wouldn't ever talk about it, much less try and monetize it or make money off his current or former service.

Ok, case in point: I introduced myself in the "Introductions" subforum on here, and also had the same post up in the "HOw would you fare in a survival situation?" thread, and it briefly (but with minor attn. to detail) describes my years in AF-SWOT.

UNLESS YOU ASK ME, I don't volunteer that information, and I don't ever really talk about it. I will one day with my daughter and my son, and I did with my wife, but otherwise... who's business is it? It's a SECRET INDUSTRY FOR A REASON, so why make a big deal out of it?

So my point is this, and it's best illustrated with a quote I heard once:

"If a guy is running his mouth about 'Special Forces this' and Special Forces that' and talking about what he used to do while he wore the beret, he never did."

Well, now Cody is gone, and this guy Matt has replaced him, and I like him a lot, but don't watch any more anyway, so whatever floats their boats!

Ah, "Bear" Grylls, or "Gerber" Grylls, as I like to call him!

He was sabotaged (sold out) at first, then bought into it, and that's all I'll say about that.

Thanks - T

[robdoar]

Watching the 'making of" episodes is really good for those that might doubt him too.

He also doesn't stay the night where he sets up, uses additional cameramen, and does really stupid stuff like this:

[bBvideo 560,340:22wb7ru5]

[/bBvideo]

and while I forget the reason Dave left, it took something real from the show.

He lied about his military records, and repeatedly violated his contract in promoting his own business. I've taken Dave's classes before, there's some good stuff, but he certainly thinks very highly of himself.

Ah, "Bear" Grylls, or "Gerber" Grylls, as I like to call him!

He was sabotaged (sold out) at first, then bought into it, and that's all I'll say about that.

He's a joke.

The sad thing is, these guys all have areas of expertise, and have some knowledge to share, but sold out to be entertainers. These shows exist to be exciting, and capture the audience, unfortunately, many can gain a false sense of confidence by watching the show, and make some huge mistakes.

[thrasher1016]

Yeah, they all have their off points, that's for sure.

At least Les Stroud started out real and tried to keep it that way, and even though he's done dumb stuff, he keeps to the same idea that he wanted to do in the first place.

As for Canterbury, I didn't know that, but there's other great survivalist teachers in the world, so I suppose one could always find one of them!

I don't even know what to think of Cody Lundin anymore... He got to feeling like a bit of a diva, honestly, toward the end. Who knows.

I already said how I feel about Teti though. That sticks and burns, and he can earn all the money he wants, but it won't make him great, no matter how much he shows off!

Thanks - T

[elloco999]

Dual Survival is a weird one...

The original guys - Dave Canterbury and Cody Lundin - were great together, and while I forget the reason Dave left, it took something real from the show.

Now, they introduced Joe Teti to the show to replace Dave, and here's where it went all squiffy...

All that bada$$ SOF work that he says he's done? Sure, I know he did the training, did the stateside ops, did some overseas deployments, but he NEVER lived an ACTIVE DUTY LIFE as an operator. Single point of proof? Someone got his DD-214. :lol: This has all been wrung out on multiple sites and blogs across the internet, because some folks got curious as to how a guy like that got to running his mouth and got on TV, and so on...

And that brings me to the second point...

If he WERE STILL or was such a big deal in the SOF community, he wouldn't ever talk about it, much less try and monetize it or make money off his current or former service.

Ok, case in point: I introduced myself in the "Introductions" subforum on here, and also had the same post up in the "HOw would you fare in a survival situation?" thread, and it briefly (but with minor attn. to detail) describes my years in AF-SWOT.

UNLESS YOU ASK ME, I don't volunteer that information, and I don't ever really talk about it. I will one day with my daughter and my son, and I did with my wife, but otherwise... who's business is it? It's a SECRET INDUSTRY FOR A REASON, so why make a big deal out of it?

So my point is this, and it's best illustrated with a quote I heard once:

"If a guy is running his mouth about 'Special Forces this' and Special Forces that' and talking about what he used to do while he wore the beret, he never did."

Well, now Cody is gone, and this guy Matt has replaced him, and I like him a lot, but don't watch any more anyway, so whatever floats their boats!

Yeah, Cody and Dave made a good team, they had chemistry as they say. Then Dave's contract wasn't renewed for the 3rd season because he "embellished" his resume.Well, he's certainly not the first to do such a thing, but that doesn't make it right. (here's a

of Dave apologizing)

Dave leaving hurt the show big time. Watched the first 2 or 3 episodes than stopped. Main reason: Joe's an idiot and Joe and Cody didn't have the report Dave and Cody had. That's what made the show special in the first place. O, and do they have to mention Joe's SOF training a gazillion times every single episode..?!

Didn't even know Cody quit the show as well until recently. He and Joe had a big fight and the next episode, Cody was gone and Max had taken his place. Do like Max better than Joe and if it would have been Cody and Max I would probably start watching again, just to see if it worked. But as long as Joe is still in that show, I'm steering clear of it.

Watching the 'making of" episodes is really good for those that might doubt him too.

He also doesn't stay the night where he sets up, uses additional cameramen, and does really stupid stuff like this:

[bBvideo 560,340:1tggr5vr]

[/bBvideo]

:lol: OMG! Seriously, he couldn't think of a better way to light a fire? (I know, it's all for the camera) Considering the number of tries it takes him to ignite something, and the time needed to prepare a cartridge, he wasted quite a bit of time that could have been spend useful. Not to mention the risk he's taking. You get yourself hurt in a real survival scenario, that could very well be the end of you.

and while I forget the reason Dave left, it took something real from the show.

He lied about his military records, and repeatedly violated his contract in promoting his own business. I've taken Dave's classes before, there's some good stuff, but he certainly thinks very highly of himself.

Not sure if it was his military records specifically, but yeah he lied about his experience.

It's been a while since I watched Dual Survival, but I don't remember Dave promoting his business. And even if he did, they could simply edit it out, couldn't they?

I do like Dave's youtube channel though. Lots of good information there. Even if he does promote his classes and webshop A LOT in his vids. But then again, it's his channel and he spends quite a bit of time making the vids, so why not try to make some money of of it? Any good entrepreneur would.

The sad thing is, these guys all have areas of expertise, and have some knowledge to share, but sold out to be entertainers. These shows exist to be exciting, and capture the audience, unfortunately, many can gain a false sense of confidence by watching the show, and make some huge mistakes.

True, TV shows are about the ratings and that means they have to be exciting.