Culture

Reality Check: What is it about Alaska reality shows that keeps non-Alaskans tuning in?

"You live in Alaska? Do you know Sarah Palin?"

That used to be the question when people from the Lower 48 found out that you lived in Alaska. But as former governor, reality TV personality, "Saturday Night Live" cameo artist and Fox News contributor Sarah Palin became more of a known entity and less of a "WTF" for the nation, the question seems to have shifted to this one: "You live in Alaska? I watch (insert name of reality TV program here)."

I wanted to dig into this more, so I performed a highly scientific survey* of a baker's dozen Lower 48 reality TV consumers.

First, while this column doesn't spend much time discussing the grandfather of Alaska reality TV, "Deadliest Catch," it's clearly the gateway drug to Alaska reality programming. Many who filled out the survey still faithfully follow "Catch," and it was a favorite because it seems very real and the stakes are high.

Other favorites include "Life Below Zero," "Alaska State Troopers," "Ultimate Survival Alaska," "Living Alaska" and "Buying Alaska."

Kate Barr, a 28-year-old living in Los Angeles, said her favorite show is "Life Below Zero." "I've never missed an episode. It seems like the most realistic of all the Alaska reality shows, like real people just trying to survive. Some of the other shows I've watched seem more 'Duck Dynasty' than reality."

She continued that "Super Sue" (the show's lead character) "taught me that you can be friends with foxes and that it's all right to call yourself super and sometimes I question her sanity -- but like in a good way."

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These Lower 48ers are just as skeptical of "Alaskan Bush People" as cranky Alaskans, and "Slednecks" didn't resonate. Mostly, they said, they watch the shows because Alaska is beautiful and the programs offer a glimpse into a different lifestyle. "For big-city dwellers maybe it's a way to escape, and/or just see another way of life," said Steve Lynes from Wisconsin.

Finally, I just have to say this week's episode of "Ultimate Survival Alaska" was fantastic. My husband and I were sitting on our couch laughing like idiots. Anytime our survivalists are traveling in boats, hilarity and calamity ensue. This episode, Cluck (formerly the scarecrow-hat-wearing guy who is a professional kayaker from North Carolina) was surrounded by humpback whales and then caught a skate while fishing for halibut. I love Cluck. I would listen to his Southern accent and watch a five-second clip of him falling out of his boat any day.

Also, the narrator got a little sloppy this episode. The Military Team decided to hike up a mountain. They ran out of water so they found a small spring to hydrate. The narrator (reading this with a deep male voice) described it as this: "The Alaskans enjoy their first meat of the competition, while the dehydrated Military Team settles for a few sips of boiled moss water." Then on the competition map, two teams are shown on the map in the middle of the ocean, as though they slept there. Get it together, "Ultimate Survival Alaska" narrator.

*There was nothing scientific about this survey. I sent 11 questions to my friends and asked them to forward the questions to their family in the Lower 48 who watch these programs. Results are skewed heavily to the Midwest.

Emily Fehrenbacher lives in Anchorage, where she reviews Alaska reality TV and can be reached at play@alaskadispatch.com (subject line: Reality Check).

Emily Fehrenbacher

Emily Fehrenbacher lives in Anchorage and writes "Reality Check," a regular look at reality television set in Alaska.

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