My initial thoughts after learning about the Discovery Channel's "Naked and Afraid" were along the lines of, "good grief, these desperate cable channels will scrape the floor."
Then I watched one episode, followed by another and a third. So it has gone through 15 seasons, captivated by the enormity of the challenges as a man and woman who've never met try to survive 21 days together naked, without supplied food or water, and stripped of all items except one of their choosing amid some of the most extreme weather and predator threats imaginable.
It never fails that Jeanetta walks through when I'm watching and always scoffs, "Watching that naked show again?"
Actually, the nude part is minor. For me the program is a gritty and insightful study in basic human nature under extreme duress. I'm fascinated by how some participants find the enormous mental strength required to overcome so many physical risks and mental distresses to complete the intense challenges, while others who initially seem so determined and strong soon tap out within a week when conditions become unbearable.
Each program begins by introducing the pair individually and a brief explanation of normal home life while reviewing any survival or outdoor skills they possess. Many are mothers and fathers, most amply tattooed, who explain they are participating to prove a point to themselves, family and friends.
Based on initial background information they are each assigned a basic survival skill rating that usually fluctuates between 5 and 9. Those rating are reassessed on the day they either tap out and go home or complete the three grueling weeks. Although participants are left to their own decisions and devices, a camera crew and medic are always nearby.
It's fairly common for one of the pair (often the man) to tap out early, leaving their partner to complete the remaining days alone.
Arrival days in some arid landscape, or on a remote island, or deep in a dense, tropical jungle are predictable. As they leap from their delivery truck or boat and shed all clothing, contestants are excited yet apprehensive over their coming experience and the unknown partner they are about to heavily rely upon.
After meeting a few hundred yards from their dropoff, they fight to keep their gazes above the neck, share greetings and nervous laughter then grab the woven knapsacks waiting for them. Those contain a map of the area plus one survival item they're allowed, and sometimes a pan for water offered by the program's producer.
Almost without exception, one has bought a machete. The wiser among them has chosen a reliable fire-starter, rather than a not-nearly-so-reliable bow drill that I've watched too often break or fail in wet weather. Having fire is crucial to boiling water, staying warm and cooking what they eat, which often winds up being various bugs, lizards, grubs and snakes.
Then they high-five each other, pledging never to tap out and leave the other alone while making comments like, "We've got this!" or "We're in this to the end!" "We're gonna crush this!" "There's no way I'm not going the full 21 days."
That's also when, after having watched many such overly confident predecessors fail to make it even though the first week, I smile knowingly.
Next, they set out to hike barefooted for miles to a spot near water designated on the map.The barefoot part across sharp rocks and long thorns littering the ground is the agonizing introduction to their new reality, amplified by increasing thirst and no water until they can locate some and build a fire to safely boil it.
By the time they arrive at a site, it's often getting on toward dark and they still must hurry to build some kind of cover to protect them overnight from the elements, insects and wildlife. And, of course, they need a place to lay and sleep where those snakes, scorpions, ants and spiders can't get to them. Fortunate teams quickly find a watering hole, get a fire started and begin to quench their day-one parched throats. If it's raining on their first day, finding dry wood to build a fire is all but out of the question, as it often can be on day two (especially if they have brought one of those stupid bow drills).
Other than regular torrential rains that often drop temperatures at night to bone-chilling, hypothermic conditions and fear of the growling animals surrounding them, a fire helps deter swarms of blood-sucking mosquitoes and biting flies that create the most common and serious physical and mental distress. These tiny insanity generators usually are constantly in their faces (and elsewhere) from night one, adding hour by hour to the itching red bumps and welts that soon cover their bodies.
Some decide to share body heat by cuddling. Others shun the idea, usually because of a spouse back home. In a survival situation with both parties unable to bathe or deal with basic toiletries for 21 days, I doubt there could be much romance involved.
Hunting anything to eat, including grasshoppers, spiders, frogs, snakes, grubs or rodents along with local plants and berries predictably becomes a day-three outing as they grow progressively weaker and desperate for nourishment. Many participants set crude traps hoping to catch anything. Most usually don't. The same for plant-woven fish traps submerged in their nearby water source. Day-one resolve often noticeably begins to grow shaky.
By the end of the first week, some of the former highs-fivers already have given up and tapped out. Those remaining often find tree bark or some kind of plant to create sandals for their punctured and damaged feet. Smarter ones did that on day two. Everything from cuts to intestinal afflictions to hypothermia and, potentially, wasp stings, snake bites, falls, burns and infected foot injuries can easily lead to a medical tap-out when participants are hospitalized.
I've seen several leave their partners within days, others after completing at least half their challenge. One couple actually lasted to within one day of completing their challenge and tapped out together. They mentally and physically could not endure even the final 24 hours. Those who've made it through readily agree it is the mental stresses and agonies that wear heaviest in the hardest thing they've ever done.
My fascination with all this, well beyond any prurient interest, is the interaction between two strangers thrown together naked under the most difficult circumstances imaginable and what it reveals about the broader aspect of our nature.
Each pair always starts on their adventure smiling, with their best foot forward, lots of joking around, brimming with confidence and anticipation as they size each other up for partner material. By the time they have hiked most of the first day to their settling point, it's apparent from their conversations and mannerisms who most like will be the Alpha between them.
It's usually at that point we also often see which is straightforward with their feelings and thoughts, or becomes passive aggressive by remaining silent and is most likely openly resentful. They record their true feelings on provided video cameras, which viewers see. Before the challenge ends, many men will wind up weeping to themselves over such incredibly harsh conditions as often as their female companions will.
It also doesn't take long to see which of them establishes necessary priorities and makes the wisest and most resourceful decisions in this survival situation, i.e.: Is it wise to burn 200 calories trying to catch that lizard that might give you back 75 at the most?
Teams that make it to the 21st day face a daunting six- or seven-mile trek to extraction. It can be achieved if they have functioned like a team rather than an ego contest despite being exhausted, weakened by double-digit weight losses and continually pummeled mentally and physically. Controlling, egoistic personalities and know-it-alls usually fare poorly.
To watch them collapse, smiling, into their rescue boats or trucks on extraction day and share hugs, accompanied by celebratory whoops and tears, can bring tears to my own eyes, I suppose because after vicariously experiencing all they endured from the comfort of my home, I realize I couldn't accomplish what they did ... even 40 years ago and fully clothed.
Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist, was editor of three Arkansas dailies and headed the master's journalism program at Ohio State University. Email him at [email protected].