Alone: The Beast (2020– ) User Reviews

Disappointing compared to the original.

[keenangeiger · 4/10 · 14 February 2020]

Alone: The Beast is a pretty run of the mill survival show, comparable to other 60-minute format shows out there. Part of the show is self filmed and much of the daytime episodes include a camera crew for some shots. Because the contestants are given no equipment and are granted an initial substantial source of food they spend most of their time conserving energy and avoiding any activities of real entertainment value. Also, because it's a fixed term (30 day) survival situation the contestants aren't incentivized to dig in and develop meaningful long-term survival tactics.

This show lacks most of the magic of the original series where you seem to develop a personal relationship with the contestants and learn about who they are and why they're there. If you cut away the life changing money, the competition against other people, the highs and the lows of lone survival, and the season-long wait to see who triumphs, you get this series. I understand the need to refresh the brand and the format but this is just a unmemorable exercise in primitive survivial.

Condensing 30 days into each episode ruins it totally

[Fredex8 · 4/10 · 2 May 2021]

First episode started out good and I thought the concept could make for an interesting change to the usual Alone format. However any sense of the challenge and difficulty of the task is lost entirely by cramming 30 days into 40 minutes. There's no getting to know the participants, no sense of struggle or overcoming difficulty and it feels very unrewarding as a result.

On the last few days in the first episode they were desperately trying to catch a fish and talking about how they needed the fat to survive. That might be a valid concern long term but they were extracted just a couple days after finally getting one making the endeavour pointless. They could have just waited out the last few days and not worried about fishing or hunting.

I gave up on the second episode when I realised it was just going to be exactly the same thing with different contestants, who in this case were already annoyingly moaning at each other and being passive aggressive on day one.

All the show essentially boils down to is properly processing the meat on the first couple days and then riding out the month rationing it out and enduring it. There's none of the challenge and progress of the original show. Interesting to watch the first episode to see them processing the meat but beyond that it feels pointless to watch the rest of the series.

Run of the mill survival

[[e-mail] · 4/10 · 12 April 2020]

Alone is one of my favourite TV shows but this is just a quick cash in on it.

It's still enjoyable but I noticed a few things in episode 3 that makes me thing this is fake. First they were filming at night trying to start a fire but you can see smoke coming into camera shot, next they have the ox horn with a clean cut and lastly they were trying to build fish traps and all the branches had clean cuts???

Keep it real and use the original format.

Epic Fail

[skullgrrrl · 2/10 · 23 February 2020]

Everything that made the first seasons of Alone interesting: contestants were actually alone; the length of the season allowed us to get to know them; no camera crews, just one-on-one are missing in Alone: The Beast.

One episode covers the three teammates being dropped off, caching the large amount of food they've been given and building shelter. There's very little info on their backstories, no real insights into them as people. Since they know they only have to stick it out for 30 days they hunker down with their food and endure it.

The text explanations about potential food contamination, predators, primitive tools and what First Nations did to survive are repeated on each program. By the second episode there was nothing new.

I watched two episodes, which was one too many. This series should not be called Alone. It's a three person team and a camera crew which has none of the interest of the original series. Skip this one and watch the real Alone.

Interesting but redundant

[OneAnjel · 7/10 · 5 February 2024]

I'm a fan of Alone and thought I'd give The Beast a try. I finished E1 and, with no introduction how the series worked, I was dumbfounded to realize 30 days was boiled down to one episode. Even more shocking was the two men who tapped out. The first guy was obviously sick before he got on the helicopter. I still think he should have made some effort to help, being the fire expert. Then the second guy taps out on the 10th day because he misses his family. Are you kidding me? Didn't he watch any of the Alone series? I feel that was a dirty thing to do to Lindsay. I hope his wife gave him hell for abandoning his committment!

But then, we have zero information on whether they are working toward a prize. Looking online offers no info other than guesses. Winkypedy says there is no prize but when checking the resources the contributor claims were used to gather the data, none of the resources are about The Beast; in other words, it's all conjecture or persistant rumor like most things on the self-aggrandized platform.

They're clearly getting some compensation. Based on the guys who tapped out for no health reason, my guess is per day commission with the 1st 3 days being the highest payment. Not offering payment would leave the producers open to legal issues, so there's no possibility of the contestants not receiving some compensation.

I did make it through all 6 episodes but there's a lot of redundancy with the main draw being the individual players and how they approach problems. I learned a lot from E5 & E6. Lindsay in E1 is also worth mentioning although it was a disappointing 1st episode to intro the series.

I remember when Jillian Michaels left the biggest loser to pursue her own show where she tries to focus on one person for just 2 weeks. It lasted about 3 episodes. The success of the BL was in the extended format - getting to know the participants, seeing their struggles and witnessing true changes in their appearance. You can't shrink that down any further. I feel similarly about Alone: The Beast - it's just too short a period to engage the audience and let them be invested in the characters and outcomes.

I was glad to see a woman as knowledgable, strong and intelligent as Lindsay made it. But for such a short stint it's super important to find contestants who are seriously committed and healthy.

I'm not surprised there was only one season and I would bet the producers never intended to do a second; it was just a quick flash for money and ratings. Boo.

Dumbest Survivalist Show I've Ever Seen

[collectorofsorts · 1/10 · 16 February 2020]

So, they simply have to build shelter and live in the cold Canadian lands for 30 days. They're not required to search for and gather food like in other survivalist shows. The show actually begins with a hunter, hired by the show, harvesting a moose and firing a flare where he left it. There's 300-400 pounds of usable meat in that moose. So, they begin with a 10-15 pound per day food supply to share between the 3 of them. Why not just let them camp out in a McDonald's parking lot. Ridiculous show. Giving them a stocked pantry goes against the rule of law put forward in every other survival show that I've ever watched. Even with the stocked pantry, they lost most of it. After butchering the animal, they left all the meat laying on the ground instead of hanging it to keep it out of reach of scavengers. Most of it got dragged off and eaten by animals. And, 2 of the 3 quickly left. One got a small cough and left after a couple days. Another missed their family and left after 10 days. I won't say which one stayed the entire 30 days. But, even that was no achievement. We're talking build a shelter and keep the food that the show provided safe. No struggles. I'm from the southern U.S. and have spent over a month camped out on the creek banks when I was younger (yes, during winter). Thoroughly disappointing show. This will be the last episode I watch.

Huge disappointment.

[fallafel-1 · 3/10 · 24 March 2020]

They've dropped the ball really badly. This is right on par with Naked and Afraid with showing the same footage over and over again. Add some facts about dangers the competitors will never come close to and there you have it. They're given more than enough food just to hunker down and lose weight for the period.

Everything that was great about Alone has been lost.

No comparison to earlier seasons

[ruuddelissen-86969 · 1/10 · 30 April 2020]

The earlier seasons were interesting because they let you identify with the contestants. The struggle and stress. The social experiment. Alone, the beast is nothing like the other seasons. Too bad

Solid - informative

[northernelf · 8/10 · 7 March 2020]

It may not be the usual reality schtick with competition but it's a solid show about survival - no glitz. Interesting as they process an animal. Think of it as different from the original Alone, different expectations. Thinking on their feet,

It's just..... meh

[melaine-62806 · 2/10 · 24 September 2021]

If you're a fan of the original Alone series, I'd get ready to be let down. The first episode was kind of cool with Lindsay lasting longer than the men, but if you take that away, the rest of the show is very underwhelming. You don't get a chance to build any kind of relationship with the contestants, and you don't get to see any kind of real ingenuity on their part because they know there's a time limit. I have no doubt it was a challenge to the contestants, but it's not the same as before. Remember cheering for the two contestants in season 2 as their tents were rocked by that huge storm? How about season 4 when you were crushed when they pulled Dave from the show because he lost too much weight? Even in the couple's show, watching the father and son grow closer while the two brothers fought together and with each other to pull through? (I will always remember Jim's name). Or the husband and wife who built a freaking log cabin?! These contestants now don't have that motivation because they know it's only 30 days. And just like I mentioned other memorable moments from the original show, the only moment I can think of with this spin-off is Lindsay winning. And even then, we're left with little incentive to care about the people on the show.

Alone creators: I know you need to revamp the show to bring in views. There's no point in putting out a big prize if the views aren't pulling in the money. However, you took literally every single element about the original out of the spin-off, and the results are lackluster. You could've done numerous teams of 3 strangers and made the episodes go a whole season with all the same contestants, and if 1 of the 3 taps out, they're all out. You could've gave them the ability to bring 1 item apiece without giving them a kill and seeing what would happen. Since they're all strangers who can't communicate with one another, would they all bring an item that would be unsuccessful in helping them gather food, or would a team be able to work together from the first day? You see where I'm going with this? I don't know who's in charge of your ideas for the show but if you ever need an fan's opinion, you can always find one of us. Overall, the new show is unmemorable, unremarkable and is totally a show you could skip without feeling any differently about it.

Shoelace for the firebow

[idsniper · 3/10 · 8 June 2021]

OMG, how about using your shoelace to make a firebow, and who cut the musk ox horn off with a saw in episode 3. Appears staged to me. Great entertainment for someone from New York City.

Not authentic

[hmedina-58089 · 3/10 · 15 June 2021]

Too much film crew. Also, on episode one, they showed a woman killing a grouse with a moose bone. Well, they didn't really show it. I'm sure it was staged. It was completely edited. I'm out.

Bring Back the Alone...

[coveywhitegold · 2/10 · 26 February 2020]

Do not care for this show at all. Why would they think this could fly? Very dumb Idea...

Not as good as the series Alone

[robainsworth-19978 · 2/10 · 5 March 2020]

Very disappointed. They're not even Alone. Why change what was a great format?

Updated - good for what it is

[nellpatel · 8/10 · 14 May 2020]

Update - I initially thought they had changed the format of the show, but now the original series is back I realise this was a separate show.

It's similar (with the shorter defined time period) to other shows out there with the credibility of the original series.

It's a great watch with how they dissect the animal and survive with no tools. You don't get the involvement with the participants as they will change each week, so again comparing it to Alone, not as much fulfilment from watching. Compared to other shows of the same ilk, it's great.





I'm only 2 episodes in....but the format?!

Alone was the only real proper survival show. No help, no timeframe, totally 'alone' where the mind is as much of an enemy as anything else.

I will still watch this as I trust the people to do it properly, but it's practically turned into naked and afraid. That show has its place but, for me, Alone sat on a lofty position above all other survival shows. They used to build cabins, traps and the shared joy when they found or caught food was immense, the sorrow when a fish fell back in to the water equally so.

This specific comment will get dated but particularly now during a covid19 lockdown period, seeing people survive on only what they can find to survive, is inspirational. I found it so in prior seasons regardless.

There is a camera crew there which goes against the whole essence of original Alone, never mind the actual name of the show. I loved the original format of last man/woman/person standing, like other reviews here you get emotionally attached to contestants. Instances when they got sent home for medical reasons hurt, there was a measure of shared devastation.

I'd need to check, but this may be my first review I've ever made on IMDb, that's how strongly I feel! Which then begs the question whether this is right forum for my vociferous albeit sanguine anger/disappointment at the change in format.

I like these kind of shows so will still watch, but what seemed like the only proper orginal survival format out there has been changed detrimentally to be similar to others.

We want the original back!

[rebeccaweekshoward · 2/10 · 24 February 2020]

This version sucks. You've turned something we enjoyed watching every season into something marginal and almost offensive to watch. Yuk!

Faked shots and a camera crew

[dukeferris · 1/10 · 8 December 2022]

I'm a fan of Alone, but this is nothing like it. They are just using the brand and they completely ruined the premise. There is a camera crew, the contestants are not alone, and many of the shots they pretend are real are dramatic reenactions, or just outright staged.

The fact that they pretend that is just like alone is the most insulting part. You will only have to watch a few episodes before you throw up your hands in frustration. This is much more like the very faked Bear Grylls series and nothing like Les Stroud. So I suppose if you a fan of Bear, you might like this, but I definitely do not.

Do not recommend.

So Much of the Animal Killed Is Wasted

[rhettgarcia-91138 · 1/10 · 9 August 2022]

If I were the animal that was killed for the episode, I'd come back and haunt the folks who came up with this cockamamie idea for this show. My other worldly corpse would drag heavy chains and moan a lot.

What I love about Alone is that the survivalists honor the kill by using EVERY PART of the animal they take. The Beast does NOT allow for that because of the cut time and not having access to proper tools to adequately process the animals killed for each episode. So much is wasted. For this reason I'd like to rescind the 1 star I gave as a rating. It doesn't deserve it. Do better, Alone!!

A failure by producers or fans.

[beechinorkelly · 5/10 · 20 August 2020]

Another survival show. Coming up with a gimmick to draw viewers. A survival show is no fun when 2/3rds of competitors quit in the 1st episode.

Alone the Beast

[avimistriel · 10/10 · 5 February 2020]

Excellent, extremely challenging. Highlights the most crucial basic survival skills.

WOMEN CAN DO IT.

[francie-21608 · 10/10 · 9 February 2020]

I have just watched the episode where the woman stayed on her own for the full 30 days.That was awesome to watch.To see those wimpy men go home and leave her on her own.The first 1 left because he was ill,he was ill when he got there,the 2nd missed his family.I imagine you would have have had many people wanting to be on the show and these 2 (men) get selected.I am an 83 year old New Zealander and have been watching the program for years.

Great Spin Off

[KennethVMitchell · 10/10 · 27 February 2020]

This show is great, because it adds the drama Alone is missing and adds variety. My wife refuses to watch the original Alone, because it gets so slow. I even only watch it on-demand and fast forward through much of the original. However, Alone the beast shows human interaction and makes the slow fast enough to where I do not fast forward. This also gives an additional show to watch if you like Naked and Afraid.

It seems though there was misunderstanding, therefore a lot of negative reviews from people scared the original Alone was changed.

Comparisons are not necessary

[hannahyeats · 10/10 · 18 March 2020]

This show highlights the value and shortcomings of human teams. In two episodes, the viewer is given insight into the wildly varied way a person approaches the survivalist challenge that while limited to 30 days, has the distinct no supplies element paired with a small team of strangers. Why compare it to Alone when after watching Alone: The Beast it is clear this is showing a totally different side of these knowledgeable, unique, serious humans? Shut up you whiners.

Loved it!

[lmdsmith · 10/10 · 28 July 2022]

Although they're not alone, it's a nice change of pace and perspective. Way better without the reality interviews. Both styles of "Alone" can coexist.

Enjoyable

[angelicbutterflywings · 10/10 · 27 June 2021]

We were quite skeptical given the reviews online that compared Alone: The Beast to the original Alone show on History Channel.

The premise is quite different from the original given the cast only has 30 days on site with nothing provided to survive other than a dead animal. They get to their location and have to process the animal before it goes bad, create fire without a ferro rod, and a shelter without tools to keep them safe from nature, be it weather or animals.

Contestants must learn to work together for 30 days to survive, which can be difficult by itself.

We enjoyed watching the show, we enjoyed watching the trials the groups endured during their 30 days.

Please keep in mind this is all about living primatively and each show is a new group, its not a series of one group so there will be faster time movement on the editing side.