Naked and Afraid is a Discovery Channel show that I have been wasting a lot of time on lately. One man and one woman, must survive 21 days with nothing, not even their clothes. I thought it was kind of interesting, I even watched it with Oliver a couple times, explaining to him all the different things that can kill you in the jungle. I thought the same would happen when I sat down to watch it with Steph, but as soon as the show began, she picked it apart with her skepticism. Here's some of the best arguments she made, and I think she makes a strong case for Naked and Afraid's inauthenticity.
1. The Bras Are Too Good
One of the first things that the survivors do is fashion clothes for themselves. Their partner is a stranger, and being naked around them is uncomfortable. Steph pointed out in the episode we were watching that the woman's leaf bra was clasped together, which either means she has a bra with metal hooks, or she is a master seamstress able to make hooks that support her tits out of wood.
2. The Editing Is Suspicious
There was a segment of the episode that was missing. After a commercial break, we found our survivors mysteriously residing in a little beach fort, that the show claimed they built in the middle of the night before. The show scrolled some text on the screen, explaining that the crew was unable to record footage of the survivors building the fort due to weather issues. Steph coughed the word "bullshit" rather loudly.
3. Both Survivors Lost Their Cameras
Each survivor receives a little diary camera, to record personal thoughts and to vent their frustrations caused by the other. In an episode, the duo decide to move camp elsewhere, and both lose their cameras in the process. Both do. At this stage of the challenge, they didn't even have clothes or shoes yet, so their possessions were few.
4. Too Many "Almost Died" Situations
A dude got bitten by a poisonous snake. Another guy came down with a serious fever just 3 days before the end of the challenge. A girl in one of the episodes got so constipated it threatened her health, another lady was chased by an alligator. Contestants on Naked and Afraid get hurt and sick all the time, but none die. Ever. The show is very adamant about telling you exactly how close to death they were though.
5. The Raft Looks Like It Was Assembled By The Crew
If you survive the 21 days, then your last task is to build a raft that will carry the both of you to the ending point. Most teams spend their entire 3 weeks building their rafts, but even then, you would expect a certain quality for a boat made with found jungle materials. Steph was quick to point out that one of the men had built a raft with benched seating, and a rudder so finely sanded, it must have been finished with a machine.
Will any of this stop me from enjoying Naked and Afraid? Of course not, if you demand authenticity from your television, then you live in the wrong century my friend, it's just nice to have such a skeptical partner to watch this nonsense with. It's a major turn-on.
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