Naked & Afraid.

Naked & Afraid on the "island from hell"

Please tell me that you guys are watching this show. This absolutely insane, ridiculously titled, completely addicting show. Summer's television lineup leaves Dr. H and I with a bit more free time on our hands (past posts on our tv addiction HERE, HERE and HERE) so last week when our DVR of Deadliest Catch (yup) ran into the first 10 minutes of Discovery Channel's new series "Naked and Afraid" we were willing to watch and see if it could hook us. 7 days and 3 episodes later (yup) we are beyond hooked - we are talking about the show incessantly (#nakedandafraid), debating the impact of life-saving producer interventions and wondering just how many days we could survive naked in the wilderness. 

The concept of the show is simple: 1 man and 1 woman, complete strangers, are left in an extreme environment (Panamanian jungle, the Tanzanian Serengeti, etc) for 21 days, totally naked. They get to bring 1 item with them (e.g., a stainless steel cup, a machete) but beyond that, they must find food, water and shelter completely from the earth. There are no prizes for surviving all 21 days, only a chance to boost your PSR (each contestant is given an initial and final "primitive survival rating" based on mental, physical and prior experience assessments) and to win bragging rights in the "survivalist" community. The elements are EXTREME (scorching sun, days-long storms, deadly animals) and the resourcefulness of each episode's contestants consistently blows my mind (twigs weaved into a lobster pot that actually catches 2 lobsters? who does that!?) The show is so captivating you almost forget about the nudity (almost). 

So this week after you've gotten your dose of Showtime and HBO, So You Think You Can Dance and whatever you're viewing on Netflix, check out Naked and Afraid. Seriously, because to quote The Daily Beast: Naked and Afraid is, in every sense of the word, an insane show. It’s also quite possibly the most riveting reality series on television. Ever."