Customer Reviews:
 Interesting... July 11, 2008
Given The Times quote was "Bear is the first sex symbol of the post apocalyptic age" I was immediately interested. Unfortunately, though he's not bad-looking, he's not my cup of tea. However, that didn't dampen my enjoyment of the programme. Bear, who quite frankly is insane, jumps out of a plane onto the ice fields of Patagonia and proceeds to well, survive.
Bear demonstrates various techniques needed for survival in these kinds of places. And if, like me, you sit there going "but as if I'm ever going to be in that situation," he explains how planes have crashed in areas such as this and people haven't survived because they haven't had a clue what they were doing. In fact, many hardened explorers have been lost in such places. So there.
This series wasn't quite as dramatic as I was expecting, as there was no point in time where anything really went majorly wrong. In fact, the most dramatic part for me was when he started eating creepy crawlies - ergh! Overall, I thought this was a really good series. It certainly shows a different side to the planet, instead of the touristy areas, you get to see something completely new, and realise just why people don't live there. It's just too cold and dangerous, in the case of Patagonia. I do think it's a pretty slim chance that you'll find yourself in some of the situations that Bear puts himself in, but if you do, you're prepared. And if you're ever asked in a pub quiz - you'll be grateful you watched it!
If you're into the outdoors I think you'll find this really interesting, but if your favourite programmes are soaps then it's probably not going to be to your liking.
 read Wiki! February 2, 2008
1 out of 7 found this review helpful
entertaining enough - not as good as Bruce Parry - scores two as it doesn't mention on the show that alot of the situations are staged. Ch4 acknowledged that instead of living rough in these environments he would be staying in the same hotel as the crew. still, I wouldn't want to do it.....
 Very entertaining and informative. January 19, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I write this review from having seen the TV show, so the DVD may well have extra content that I have not yet seen. Bear is an ex special forces member who now travels in search of adventure and teaches survival techniques. He is a first class communicator, and the show is entertaining as we see him placed into dangerous situations in harsh environments, and try to escape them. It is similar to Ray Mear's Extreme Survival and Bushcraft shows in some ways, but Bear often places himself in more extreme situations in the more extreme environments. Ray Mears makes himself more comfortable and focuses more on living in the wild for a length of time, Bear Grylls concentrates more on surviving an emergency and escaping in the immediate aftermath of a imaginary disaster. I am huge fan of both presenters, and recommend all their work. Bruce Parry's "Tribe" shows would nicely complement as well.
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