The Island (2015– ) User Reviews

Not a "How-to" but rather a "Can-we?"

[derakk · 7/10 · 27 May 2015]

I feel like I have to come to the defense of this show, simply because the type of people who are initially drawn to it expect a certain type of presentation of survival. I will tell you now, there are no Ray Mears or Les Stroud types on this show. There will be no instructional how-to's on building a friction fire or how to set traps to catch food. This is a show about 14 normal modern American men attempting to survive on a Pacific deserted island.

The show is shot entirely by the marooned islanders themselves, but don't expect the worst camera work, 4 of them are trained cameramen. The rest of the islanders are a mix of white and blue collar professionals between the ages of 25 and 60+, with a few veterans sprinkled here and there. In general, most of these people seem very genuine, and not hand picked by producers to provide the most tension and conflict. The show is of course about cooperative survival, not a competition.

Without giving anything away, we watch these men struggle with finding fresh water, starting a fire, and of course some internal struggle. These are of course problems that will continue to arise, and no doubt there will be many others that they will have to face, but that's what this show is all about. We are watching these men struggle and overcome the adversities of survival.

If you're looking for a show like Survivorman or any of the series hosted by Ray Mears, you're probably going to be a little disappointed. If you're looking to laugh and cry with the struggles of these men however, I'd give The Island a try.

Man vs. Nature

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 2 June 2015]

"The Island" is a new show by NBC, featuring Bear Grylls as the host, doing occasional commentary.

Fourteen men are dropped on an isolated island with the intent of surviving thirty days using their wits and abilities. These are not survival specialists. Four of them are cameramen who will document the adventure.

I guess the first question is why are they doing this? There is no million dollar prize at the end. It's not a contest, except in the sense that it's man against nature. From the beginning, it's clear that nature holds all the cards. These men have chosen to test their mettle. What better way to do that than "in the destructive element immerse" (from "Lord Jim" by Joseph Conrad).

Due to posts about other related shows, I wondered how true this show would be. Or would there be numerous interferences from the producers to modify the narrative? After watching the first two episodes--with their medical emergencies and their real depictions of imminent death experiences--it is clear that the viewer is watching a true story unfold. Evacuations are necessary when dangerous health risks occur, but otherwise the men are on their own.

This show is probably not for everyone. The participants undergo tremendous stresses, which cause breakdowns in personalities and the social niceties, revealing basic truths about human nature and the relationship between mind and body.

sometimes compelling

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 9 July 2015]

Bear Grylls drops fourteen ordinary American men on a deserted tropical island. They are given limited supplies. There are no crew as the men themselves do the filming. There is no prize money. There is no voting. The first problem and probably the most compelling danger is the shortage of drinkable water. Some may laugh at the guys losing the water they're given but people make idiotic mistakes all the time. On an island surrounded by sea water, the lack of drinkable water is the most immediate danger.

Most of these guys are out of their elements. They make all kinds of easy mistakes. They caught a pig that looks suspiciously domesticated although they also got a caiman which is impressive. A few of the men are obvious camera people from previous TV productions like this. After the early dangers, there are some minor conflicts of personalities which don't interest me that much. Without a task, a couple of the guys ended up waiting out the 28 days. It seems like others are pushing the conflict agenda simply to spice up the entertainment. It's six episodes and first couple are quite compelling as they struggle to find water. The rest of the show isn't as compelling. It's a short six episodes but even that is too long. I don't see this show continuing unless Bear can come up with some tasks for the contestants.

Compelling and as "real" as reality TV can get

[enigmaticsince87 · 8/10 · 3 December 2015]

Having watched both the UK and now US versions of this show, I'm struggling to contain my irritation at some of the comments written here. The "reviews" slating Bear Grylls ' latest show, in which a motley crew of average Americans are marooned on a tiny tropical island for a month with the simple goal of trying to survive, completely miss the point. They complain about the "wussy" participants, who are plunged into the most inhospitable of environments, battling real thirst, starvation and all manner of injuries and ailments, lauding them for displaying highly understandable signs of stress and physical and mental fatigue.

It's at times like this I wish I could magically pluck those keyboard warriors from their parents' basements and place them in that unforgiving environment, and see how long they last before they fall apart at the seams.

Give this show a try - it's the closest I've seen to a genuine reality show (the participants are genuinely alone and film themselves) - and although some things have obviously been done to give the cast a helping hand (fresh water deposits, the odd farm pig conveniently found), the show doesn't hide the fact that they had to ensure survival was actually possible.

Laugh and point at a bunch of Americans

[cypresstwist · 1/10 · 27 May 2015]

This is hands down the worst survival show I have started to watch. So you have these 14 guys that have absolutely no idea what they are doing. And you drop them onto this island where they bicker like teenagers until they run out of resources. Three of them struggle to kill a snake because they just have to prove to themselves that they are men. Three others try to start a fire by friction only to see a brighter one already made a fire by using his glasses. Then they decide they need to carry said fire to the beach, although they could just use the same glasses again. So they carry hot coals from the middle of the jungle when the real question was why start a fire in the forest. The scene in which they chop the snake using a machete although they have knives made me laugh. They hold the snake VERTICALLY and they hit it repeatedly with the short sword almost defacing the one that holds the dead reptile like a little girl would hold a dead umbilical cord. Then they eat it, although they HAVE enough food; they have been on the island for only a few hours, they are definitely NOT hungry and water is their main problem, not snake meat. And speaking of water, I drew great pleasure from seeing these 14 Americans mix ocean water with the last drinkable water they had, boil it and then spit it out screaming "THIS IS SALT WATER!" Three of them went to look for the beach, although all of them would have found it eventually. It took them 3-4 hours to get there, another 3-4 hours to get back into the middle of the jungle to tell the others they have found said beach, then GO BACK to the beach. Total wasted time: half a day. I face-palmed myself when the Army veteran drew a big "USA" in the sand and stood gloriously looking at the waves. No wonder the rest of the world hates the USA. The first episode concludes with the most annoying member of the group throwing up and violently convulsing at night. He must have drank the salt water or whatnot and they had to call for help and watch as he was thrown into a boat without fanfare and sailed off into the darkness. These men couldn't build a sand castle without setting it on fire and I'm pretty sure that's exactly why they have been chosen to go on that island.

Hands Down .. the WORST Survival show of dozens I've watched..

[toddjobson · 1/10 · 24 June 2015]

Bear Grylls has let the producers select a cast of WHIMPS that know nothing about how to live without a supermarket or their mommy's. (please spare us the politically correct "diverse" group.. and next time use competent and capable REAL MEN or Women).

Honestly, anyone that has gone through BoyScouts or camped out more than once could easily survive longer than these "new age" pampered millennials. Most have never seen the outdoors other than on vacation or from a postcard in a city store.

After each episode 1,2,3.. they have crying or complaining men that need to be removed from the island. Please, spare us of feminine or unfit men trying to survive on an island with no food or water.

I'm so disappointed, since his past shows had always drawn us into actual survival by someone that is TRAINED or mentally competent to solve the life or death problems that arise.

This show is a WASTE of time.. don't bother unless you like watching new-era dysfunctional city people off the street starving and crying on an island.

pathetic..

[cassidyorme · 2/10 · 2 June 2015]

I'm really sad that the amazing Bear Grylls is hosting this show... these people are pathetic.. they talk more than they do.. two episodes in and two people are already gone.. two people couldn't make it two days hahaha its basically showing the world how pathetic the average American male is.. they are privileged worthless idiots.. they know they are going to be there for a month and maybe thats why they are so lackadaisical... seriously its obvious that none of these people have seen even one episode of man vs. wild, I haven't watched the show in years but if i was dropped on an island alone i would survive better than this group of utter morons.

do us all a favor nbc and cancel the show..

Waste of time...

[dellforrell · 4/10 · 7 July 2015]

For starters this series only consisted of 6 episodes...

This show was supposed to be about 13 men or so surviving on a island for a whole month. Well between the bickering and sniveling of most of the contestants it turned out to be 13 little kids on an island whining about their personal space.

This show took a turn for the worst. It had high expectations in comparison to the British version of The Island. If this was the American Revolution Britain would have dominated and the US would have succeed. The US version of The Island was a disgrace and made that average American look futile.

Bear Grylls himself couldn't have been more disappointed in this failed botched attempt to revive survival TV in the states. I'm sure this will be his last.

Worth Watching maybe

[duskeyowl · 4/10 · 27 May 2023]

I found all four seasons to simply not be appealing. What you will see is the customary people not getting along drama, very little in survival information and at some points you'll think the entire show has been scripted to the narration.

The biggest disappointment is the lack of relevant footage of survival. It is an endless montage of starving dehydrated people waiting out the 6 weeks.

Considering that the whole thing is filmed with the same people starving and dehydrated you should expect much and the don't disappoint.

Sadly it was a stupid idea thinking that you would get good film or scenes with the same people suffering what they are recording.