Sonika Kamble
Netflix’s ‘Outlast’ is a survival reality show that features several survival experts who compete for the prize of $1 million. In the wilderness of Alaska, they must collaborate and survive together against the odds of wild animals, starvation, and natural calamities. In all its glory, the show portrays the power of human resilience against gruesome circumstances. If you were thrilled by the series and craved to recreate the experience, we’ve curated a list of similar top-notch survival shows.
8. The Great Human Race (2016-)
Survival instructor Cat Bigney teams up with Bill Schindler, an experimental archaeologist. Together, they dive deep into the history of humans and explore their survival tactics. They take learning and history to the next level as the duo experiences each stage of human evolution in real time. In addition to the survival aspect of ‘Outlast,’ the National Geographic TV series has the added bonus of learning history while being entertained.
7. Naked and Afraid (2013-)
In every episode of Discovery Channel’s ‘Naked and Afraid,’ two complete strangers strip naked, meet each other for the first time, and survive in the jungle for 21 days. They can bring one or two useful resources, which might help build a shelter, scavenge and hunt for food, or start a fire. At night, the survivalists use their personal cameras to record the events because the filming crew is not present. Much like ‘Outlast,’ the contestants of the survival-based reality show must team up in order to survive, but there’s an added layer of awkwardness due to being nude, which makes it more challenging for them to collaborate.
6. Alone (2015-)
History channel’s ‘Alone’ is a survival reality series that showcases a group of brave individuals who document their daily lives in the wilderness. Each one of them is alone and must fend for themselves with their limited resources. The locations where they isolate the contestants include indigenous-controlled lands, national parks, and forests. Unlike ‘Outlast,’ the participants are expected to survive alone, without any support, which makes it just as dangerous, if not more.
5. Fat Guys in The Woods (2014-)
‘Fat Guys in The Woods’ intends to equip commoners with survival skills. Creek Stewart, the survival expert, trains three men in a single week to harness their true instincts, live in accordance with mother nature, and build resilience. He teaches them the basics and advanced tactics to combat unforeseen circumstances. The men are out of their comfort zone, which allows them to discover their potential and what they can accomplish in life-threatening situations. The survival reality series is created by Shannon Vayo and is parallel to ‘Outlast’ because it also depicts nature and wilderness in a beautiful light.
4. Eden (2016-2017)
As part of the show, 23 contestants live in isolated regions of Scotland for a year. Their mission is to build a self-sustaining community through means of agriculture, shelter, and organization. For most, it is a nice getaway from the hustle-bustle of modern life, but for some, it’s no short of a nightmare. The participants could leave the show and abandon their primitive lifestyle or work with everyone to create a self-sufficient community. ‘Eden’ is a British reality show that aired on Channel 4, and as seen in ‘Outlast,’ it promotes living in harmony with nature and appreciating its gifts.
3. The Wheel (2017-)
‘The Wheel’ features a nurse, marathoner, former marine, fitness model, wrestler, and model who must fight for their survival in multiple ecozones. For 60 days, their locations change according to the moon’s cycles. They have little to no supplies; however, sheer willpower goes a long way in a survival challenge. The reality series aired on Discovery Channel and akin to ‘Outlast,’ the contestants must adapt to a new way of living, but the theme is more prominent in this format due to the ever-changing locations.
2. Out of The Wild (2008)
‘Out of the Wild’ follows a group of individuals who live the urban lifestyle. A team of experts guides the group and equips them with the necessary skills for survival. Some of them are unable to take the heat, and the crew evacuates these individuals for reasons like hunger, frustration, tiredness, and even depression. The survivor show aired on Discovery Channel, and corresponding to ‘Outlast,’ its first season was lensed in the Alaskan wilderness and solely called ‘The Alaska Experiment.’
1. Survivor (2000-)
A group of strangers competes in multiple challenges as they strive to outperform each other in every aspect. As the contestants indulge in physical, mental, and endurance-based hardships, they must also fulfill basic survival tasks like searching for food, building shelter, and lighting fire. The last one standing wins the title of “Sole Survivor” along with $ 1 million. ‘Survivor’ is a long-running reality show created by Charlie Parsons, and congruent to ‘Outlast’ it truly creates difficult survival situations for the participants.
Read More: Is Netflix’s Outlast Scripted or Real?
