Ooooh, this season is starting strong with a fantastic tease!!!
On Day 29, Ryan is nowhere to be found after suffering illness in the midst of lion-infested territory.
And it looks like the other survivalists drop like flies in South Africa’s searing heat. This is going to be an experience where the physical demands almost equal the mental challenges.
Last week, Naked and Afraid XL had a preview episode. I watched it and it basically reintroduced this season’s 12 survivalists and their experiences when they appeared on Naked and Afraid. And they gave us a map graphic. And I love maps, so here it is…
Let’s check in with our first trio of survivalists: Jake, Clarence, and Stacy.
They’ll be calling Sotho Gorge home; it’s also home of the ticks.
I was shocked that Clarence lasted 21 days in Honduras, so I have little faith that he’ll last for 40 days.
I was sad then Stacy’s butt got boiled in Croatia, and I want her 40-day experience to kick butt
And of course, Jake and I chatted this week and I think he could live in the wilderness for the rest of his life. I just adore him and his positive attitude.
The all-male team will be cooking in Pondo Ravine. Man Land is also home to a herd of elephants, so watch out boys! No one wants to be stomped to death.
Angel conquered a crazy partner and made an amazing trap on his 21-day experience.
Steven thrived in Alabama and has a joyful spirit that will be hard to break.
Ryan dominated the Everglades once he got rid of his bullying partner.
The Swati Valley is Predator rich and water-filled and will be home for Phaedra, Alyssa and Tawny. The ladies get to work, and Alyssa makes a fire like a boss. But immediately after, she steps on a massive thorn, slowing down her “Get it done” attitude.
Tsonga Basin is home-away-from-home for Carrie, Darrin and Kim. Darrin is so bizarre; how is he going to fare with these outspoken women? Their habitat has a great water source … and lions! I would faint to see those massive beasts in person. And I would also clap my hands like a little girl because — lions!!! How often does a person get to witness lions in the wild? Because are the lions in the zoo scary? Nope.
The first night in the wilds of South Africa was very loud. The camps have to deal with visits from big predators and I’m not surprised that no one slept a wink.
Day 2
Man Land is in hunting mode. Steven fashion a pretty awesome spear-thrower, and Ryan turns some of his fishing line into a gorgeous fishing net.
Over in Sotho Gorge, Jake collects water from their dirty puddle/water source and it looks like liquid poop. When I interviewed Jake, he told me that their water was horrid.
While Carrie, Darrin and Kim walk from their shelter to their water source, it’s clear that Africa is freaking hot. Lava-like. A giant furnace. When it’s hot, I want to do little more than sit in the shade and drink beer. I can’t imagine being like, “Hey, It’s 110 degrees, let’s go hiking and carry this pot of terrible water around. And maybe later, we can run sprints with some lions.” Kim and Carrie want to move their shelter closer to their water source to limit the time they spend walking in the sun, but Darrin makes an awesome point saying, “I’d rather make it a little more uncomfortable for me to make it a whole lot safer for me.” Darrin may be strange, but he’s a great survivalist. I would probably pick him as my partner. I would be well-fed and entertained.
In Lady Land, everyone’s hard at work. Phaedra started feeling dehydrated pretty quickly and us sick all night long. Alyssa gets sick shortly afterwards. Gross. If you remember, Tawny has abandonment issues, so I hope her team rallies and doesn’t abandon her.
Day 3
Team Girl Power regroups in the light of day and decides to take it a little easier until they’ve got hydration in control. And over in the mud puddle, Clarence catches a crab. But he can’t enjoy any of it, because he’s allergic to shellfish.
The camp at Tsonga Basin is tick-central so Carrie lines their shelter with ash. She claims that ticks hate walking through ash, and I like her thinking. I’ve always though that the survivalists should push ash everywhere, I don’t think mosquitoes are too fond of ash either. But despite having good ideas, Carrie is not doing well with the mental aspect of African survival. The sharp ground is punishing her feet and she can’t fathom the amount of ticks that she’s facing (and afraid of).
The Three Wise Men are hungry for meat and Stephen and Ryan set up a blind and settle in to hunt warthog. Before long, Pumba ambles up and settles into the slop. But he’s a giant and is no match for their small fishing line net.
That night, Carrie, Darrin and Kim sit around their fire and listen to the roars of a nearby lion. Carrie doesn’t seem like her heart is into this adventure.
Day 4
Carrie is definitely shell-shocked: she’s got lions on one side, and elephants in the watering hole. It’s no surprise to me when she taps out. Kim and Darrin are disappointed, and to be honest, so am I. Carrie finally had strong partners who could challenge her and support her, and she abandoned them. She’s the first to leave, but I know she won’t be the last.
While Clarence rests in the shade, his teammates try to repay him for the meal he provided for them, by catching him a fish. Stacy and Jake ingeniously trap their watering hole’s fish, but Clarence refuses to eat any of the meal. And he’s also refusing to drink any water. My husband turned to me and declared, “Clarence is a boob.” What do you think? How is he going to survive for 40 days?
Day 5
Over in Sotho gorge, Clarence’s partners are befuddled by his refusal to eat and drink. He calls their water source “Piss and S@#$” and tells his partners that he can’t stay at their camp. The relationship deteriorates to the point that Stacy and Jake yell at Clarence and he decides to leave their camp and survive on his own.
Ooooh, is it next Sunday yet? I love conflict!!! And stupidity!! I can’t wait to see what’s next.
XLR
The Naked and Afraid Personal Survival Rating (PSR) is a measurement that has always befuddled me. It seems to rise and fall with the tides, the producers will and with the exchange rate of the British pound sterling. Basically no one knows why the scores are what they are, and the show seems to assign them at random. In last week’s Preview episode, the narrator explained that to find the initial value of each team at the start of the XL season, they average the ending PSRs from each of the three contestants’ 21-day experience. Only Stacey didn’t have an ending PSR, so I believe they used her starting PSR from her Croatian experience.
The all-female team in Swani Valley has an initial XLR of 7.5 out of 10.0.
The team of Clarence, Jake and Stacey at Sotho Gorge start with an XLR of 7.4.
The strong all-male team in Pondo Ravine starts with an XLR of 8.3 out of 10.0.
Since they had a team member quit, the XLR of Tsonga Basin plummets from 6.7 to 4.3 out of 10.0. It’s a little harsh since Carrie’s ending PSR from her episode was a dismal 4.3. Did Darrin and Kim lose much when they lost Carrie? I mean, other than drama.
Primitive Survival Item. Each survivalist brought a blade each trio was given a cooking pot, and each of the dozen survivalists was allowed to bring one primitive survival item. I’m keeping track here:
Jake- Spool of wire (Learned in personal interview)
Stacey- Fishing hook and line (Learned in Episode 1)
Clarence- Unknown
Phaedra- Unknown
Alyssa- Fire Starter (Learned in Preview Episode)
Tawny- Unknown
Kim- Bow & Arrow (Learned in Episode 1)
Carrie- Unknown
Darrin- Buck Skin (Learned in Preview Episode)
Angel- Unknown
Steven- Sling shot (Learned in Preview Episode)
Ryan- Spool of 100-lb. Fishing Line (Learned in Episode 1)
More Naked and Afraid XL
Naked and Afraid XL Season 2 preview
Interview With Jake Nodar
Jake Nodar’s 4 butt-kicking survival tips
Kellie,
This evening (Thur) I watched the rebroadcast of the first episode with pop up notes. They said that Darrin was abandoned at the hospital, at birth by his mother. They also said his Heritage was Shoshone Tribe. This edited version cast all the participants in a better light with more complete information. Maybe you and some others can cease thinking Darrin’s self contained nature is somehow “odd.” Darrin has never had a home.
Kellie,
I am not berating you! You used the correct word to describe Darrin. Bizarre-strange or different, especially as in interesting or amusing. Darrin knows what he is doing even if we don’t. Clarence has similar traits.
I didn’t use the word bizarre as a pejorative word. Darrin acts unusually for city life, but in a survival situation, his adaptability and talents are genius. He’s one of my favorites, and I think you have to look at life differently to be able to react to the challenges of Naked and Afraid. (Don’t worry, J.C. we’re still pals).
May I humbly suggest we give Darrin a clean slate? His 2person adventure is sufficiently in the past. He seems very clear-eyed & sane/balanced so far (perhaps far more than some of the others), & also much more mature & even “normal” (if that is important to you..). Peace/tolerance/cooperation are best survival tools in difficult situations.
HELP!? Bad with computers..Did something, & now all my posts going to page 2!
I remember, in Darrin’s first episode in Thailand, a picture was shown of him as a small child being down in some rocks where he said his parents would dump him off to learn survival. Whatever happened, he survived but seems to be very lonesome. I’d love to see him and Kim together as a couple after the show. His first partner, Sandra (?), was snobby and treated him like he was beneath her saying that, if she ever met him on the street, she would totally avoid him. Yet, he was still nice to her.
I agree completely. Angela was very condescending to him. Yet,they were the only couple to actually GAIN weight in the history of N&A! Why bring societal prejudices to the bush? Alot can be learned from each other if we are open minded. Personally, I think he would be a great partner & wouldn’t berate me if I failed at something, but would patiently teach me proper skills & attitude. None of us are perfect. In the bush, people like Angela are the weird, & truthfully, undesirable companions.
Al K, Totally Agree!
Finally watched Episode 44- the preview show. Is Tawny wearing eye makeup?? Her lashes look extra thick as well..
Tawny may have eyelash extensions, which will start to look strange after about 3 weeks. Or she may have coated on an extra-thick layer of mascara before she left on the XL adventure. If Tawny’s not washing her face with a cleanser, her mascara could stay on for quite a while, especially if it’s waterproof.
It looks like they are in the Oribi gorge nature reserve. The Mzimkhulwana river runs all the way to the ocean. For Stacy & Jake to settle for that cesspool was kind of disappointing. Like to know how far away they are from each other.
The map says that the 4 groups are contained in a 35 square mile area. So that means not too much walking distance between even the furthest camps.
If the Swati Valley is halfway close to Sotho Gorge, then Clarence has a shot at getting water. At least he’s trying. Fishing in that pitiful cesspool is pathetic. Time to move.
No surprise at all that Carrie didn’t last long. She was a total b*tch in her first challenge. And, was a sure bet for a speedy checkout in XL due to low mental fortitude and nonexistent teamwork skills.
Carrie explanation. The old cowboys and farm hands I grew up with, would have described Carrie as a wild mustang mare. “I’m wild and wooly and full of fleas; I’ve never been curried above the knees.”
Old fashioned humor.
No questions anymore, Carrie’s “tough Marine” act is a pose.
Feisty and independent women cause insecure men a lot of grief. There were 400+ nasty comments posted on the discus site after Carrie’s adventure in Cambodia.
Kellie,
In the group of 12 picture, is that Phaedra standing next to Angel in the back row?? It doesn’t look like her and if so, she is a much larger woman than I thought. Her head is overlarge, she is very tall and her shoulders are larger than the men?? A photo mix up or something else???
J.C.-
I think that this photo may have been cobbled together. I zoomed in on the high-resolution that I got from Discovery, and it appears that some of the images were added.
Carrie’s picture in the back row is one example. She’s just thrown in there.
The lighting on Clarence is also inconsistent with the lighting on the other participants, leading me to believe that he was added to the group shot.
I also think that Angel looks strange in this photo- the lighting on his shoulder is correct, but I think he was added to the photo later or he would have blocked some of the sunlight from falling onto Phaedra’s arm.
I believe that Phaedra is simply a tall woman, and that Kim is petite. There is a shadow falling from Phaedra’s arm onto Kim that leads me to believe that the two women were standing next to each other when the photo was taken. But I wonder why Phaedra is wearing two microphone necklaces? Each of the survivalists wears a necklace that has a microphone embedded into it which runs into a mic pack in their tote bags. Is she wearing her old one from India, or did she gank one from a teammate when he/she tapped out?
What are your thoughts?
Cobbled up is right. Notice that they also made everyone blonde except Ryan’s beard, Steven, Angel, Phaedra, Carrie and Clarence. They lightened Clarence’s body, then pixilated all the faces.
Who is Mandi Herald? (see post below). Very funny as mid-night interlude into lala land.
Al, Sometimes we get lonely people who want to say something even if it is unrelated. They are harmless and we can be kind.
You are a gentleman! I admire that..
Errors and previews.
The previews mention lions and tigers?? There are no tigers native to Africa.
The future episode previews imply Ryan disappears (?) in lion country, and two are carried away on stretchers. One looks like Clarence and one looks like a blond?? Stacey cries a lot.
The previews show Stacey and Jake joining Darrin and Kim and the women’s group joining the men. Do I believe the producers or my lying (or deceived) eyes?
I like the shot of Darrin and Kim picking ticks off each other and Kim sticks her tongue out at the cameraman.
Very astute observations, sir.
Well at least they didn’t mention bears..OH MY!
Stacy seems headed for a breakdown- many survival experts say that not freaking out/remaining calm & in control are your first & most important survival skill.
Those ticks look HUGE! And plentiful. Creeps me out (not as scary as lions & leopards tho..)
I didn’t see that preview (of the ticks)unfortunately. Kim & Darrin are becoming my favorite team right now.
One thing we have learned over the years:DO NOT TRUST THESE PRODUCERS!!!
Al K,
The lead in to the the all over tick removal was “Darrin and Kim play Monkey.” Stacey will be all right but she needs lots of hugs, I hope someone gives them to her. Jake is not the one to give them to her. Jake appears to lack any “warmth” for female partners as was shown in his Amazonia episode. Jokers are more “show off” than genuine humor (my opinion).
No one has addressed the contestants safety? Lions and other predators and then these 12 humans staking claims for the same territories and water source! Is the crew providing some big hunters backing up the group if there were to be an altercation? what goes on outside of the survivalists orbits? Are they protected ???
My hubby and I have been together 14 yrs – I love him and the challenges we take – we want to stay together as we love one another – this could be our shot! He’s. Shit and so am I – I demand a lot – want a lot – he does give all! I want to give back to him, stepping outside of the box means a lot!
My prayers that you get what you want. God Bless
Clarence is 100% correct on his strategy. Their are people that regularly go on 30 day and longer fasts with only water and lead a normal life, many continue to work out at the gym on a daily basis. I don’t think Stacey know shit about a bodies starvation survival. If you keep eating 20, 40 maybe 100 calories at a time you never give your body a chance to go into ketosis (starvation mode). Once you are in ketosis your metabolism will slow and you will only break down a small amount of protein and fats, but if you keep eating small meals your body will consume itself at a fast rate. Once you secure a large meal then you can eat the calories and pull your body out of ketosis and start the process again if needed, but the meal has to be fairly large or it would not be worth it.
With all that said Clarence will probably be very sluggish most of the time, doing work in the early morning or late evening and just sit around during the hot day much like the animals do.
Humans are the only animals that work like idiots in the hot sun.
In the ‘Naked and Afraid’ partner episode that Clarence was in, he and his partner caught a tarantula. While eating it, he commented “Yum. It’s like a tiny lobster.” Now suddenly, on ‘Naked and Afraid XL’, when he just plain doesn’t want to eatthe crab, he is “allergic to shellfish”. He’s SO lame. Refusing protein AND water on N&A is just ridiculous. Then he decides to leave his XL team to find a better source of water. Well, I say good luck boiling the water without the team pot!!! Ha! (As far as that goes, good luck physically making it to another watering hole without any protein and water store in your body. Definitely not lasting long.
You make some very good points. I hadn’t thought about the pot! However, since there are preview clips of him still being there later on,I have to assume that he found another group. Being alone in that place with all the predators doesn’t seem very smart.
That’s right! Clarence did say that about tarantulas! You have a great memory, Spiral Skull!!
kellie, It is probable that Clarence found out he is allergic to shellfish by eating some of it and becoming violently ill. One never forgets the taste of something that poisons or makes you ill.
Stacy could lighten up a little, & Clarence does have a serious pointe about the water. Digging a well close to it would be a no brainer. But other than that I looked on the map & it looks like the Mzimkhulwana River is near Oribi Gorge.
It also looks like the camera crew is pretty well armed but do they spend the nite with them?
I don’t blame the little marine for tapping out this place is brutal!
Would “cockiness” (double meaning intended) be an apt description of Jake? Ha ha. We got lots of drama this season, & some truly capable contestants. I didn’t like Michael much in his 2 person challenge, but certainly do now (so far).. In Africa, he will be a formidable protector with a great demeanor & attitude.
Who is Michael??
Sorry. I meant Steven, who for some reason I want to call “Bug” ( Bug Hall, I believe, was an actor on Little Rascals- I am free associating here, but whatever..)
Further correction: I think Bug Hall was actually one of the Bowery Boys. Why my mind is traveling there, who knows..
Like we usually do, we taped the episode so that we can watch it then next day while eating breakfast. There’s something innately satisfying about eating well while watching a bunch of starving contestants.
OK, so first, team “Gay” made up of an obese, lazy, whiny black gay, whose skill is living off his fat; an attention whore body builder (professional “adventure” contestant whose motto seems to be “See my body? Ain’t I cute, don’t you want me?”)whose skill is being able to work hard (but not well) and a decent gal with skills who was chosen, we don’t know how or why, to be their partner, too bad since she could really shine with better partners. El Chubbo goes into his whiny ass routine, then refuses to eat or drink after laying about all day. His motto, seems to be “I ain’t gotta eat, I’ve lived in trash cans and I’m fat”. Meanwhile their whole team has completely missed the concept of a “Gypsy” well, um, duh?! Jesus morons when the water is that filthy dig a well two yards away and let it fill up, and you call yourselves survivalists? This tells us alot about
Darren got the best deal, a cute little bit of eye candy (useless as she is/was,but still,too bad she tapped) and a fairly competent partner in Kim who is a very good match with him and I’m quite sure wouldn’t pass on a rat-kabob. Then there’s team macho, all of whom are plenty competent and the only team that’s ever decided to come up with an atlatl (go Angel). Why no one else has ever made one of these I’m not sure but I’ve used one and I’ll tell you you can hit a beer can at twenty yards on your third try and pretty near every try after that, very short learning curve, very accurate and very hard hitting. Team girl power is looking pretty darned good with my favorite being Alyssa, great gal, even tempered and competent. Watch where you walk girl. Phaedra is looking a bit weak this time, sorry to say. All in all plenty of drama to make the producers happy and some pretty competent survivalists for the weak and lazy ones to ride to the end. We’ll see.
First they give them phony PSR’s then they use those phony PSR’s to give them phony aggregate team PSR’s. It’s all an enigma, the producers don’t even know how the PSR’sm are determined. Oh well, what do you expect from a company called “Metal Flowers”, geesh!
KenO,
Glad to see you back. A spear thrower and an atlatl work using the same principle of leverage. There is a not subtle technology difference between a spear thrower and an atlatl. An atlatl is a balanced (equal weight forward and aft of the hand) and tuned (matched material flexes) weapon system of dart, head, fletching, throwing stick and sometimes a counterweight. On XL2 Stephen made a spear thrower. The advantages of the atlatl are many (accuracy at distance, carry more darts than spears, etc) Angel demonstrated his spear thrower at home before the show.
Hi J.C., I did not know that. I would take the atlatl over a spear thrower easily more than likely because I’ve used an atlatl and found it incredibly intuitive and easy to use, easy to make as well. Very good addition to your kit in the wild.
Thanx for putting my posts back up. I am not trying to be controversial, but if you switch to CNN or MSNBC for a bit of “REAL TV” (not to be confused with “reality tv”), you will see that the issues confronting us regarding race & gender are very upfront in the current political cycle. Perhaps,in our little microcosm here, we can show others how to get along & work towards a common cause despite our differences?
Al K, You used the correct term “political cycle.” Politicians and haters keep the nonsense alive for their own gain. Unfortunately, too many people are brain dead and follow them.
Kellie- I posted a reply to JC, & it is not posted. If this is purposeful, please explain why?
Al K- Do you see it now? I’m able to see it.
Yes. Thank you! Great blog you have going here. Lets not tell any of the trolls blowing up the official N & A discussion pages.. Hope you & your family are enjoying a peaceful summer.
Thanks so much! The hardest thing about loving Naked and Afraid is that by Sunday night, I’m exhausted from a weekend of fun activities. I live in Wisconsin, and make a rule of spending as much time as possible outdoors to make up for the time I spend indoors in the winter.
Discovery can’t make episodes available in advance (because of all of the last-minute pixilation), which means, I’m watching Naked and Afraid as it airs, and makes for a very late Sunday night!
As a person who works late into the night, I really appreciated that you posted your review before turning in for the night. You are a real trooper! Thanx again.
P.S.- some of your regulars here are eagle-eyed observers for sure. You are blessed ( a direct result of your own analytical skills?). I like your humor as well.
yes. thank you.
Stacy seems unhinged- 4 days in & 100+ degrees,with someone screaming at you? Run away fast! Clarence will hopefully find another group ala Shane in XL1? (biology degree? Her bio indicates taking biology classes at community college. Clarence is well respected wilderness survival instructor. His methods may not be best for a group, but seem reasonable). Jake rubs me the wrong way as well. KenO got it right-they did pair Jake & Clarence together..Darrin & Kim are bonding nicely already (I could even imagine them as a future couple when this is over.) I think that their PSR should have risen with the departure of Carrie! She would have brought nothing but negativity. Dead weight. They are both very tough, & he has amazing resources,skills & attitude. Truly, they both seem so much more mature,balanced & sane than in their 2person episodes. The location is scary!! Good start to new season. Lets hope they all make it out alive.
When I saw Kim and Darrin, I thought the same thing! They would be a great partnership both on the show, and hopefully after 😉
I’m not surprised by Clarence at all. I didn’t think he would work well with a team in a harsher environment. He’s a self-described loner, and if you remember his Honduras trial, he and Bree kept completely separate camps due to their disagreements, and Bree tapped out on day 5 and left him alone.
That said, he did have some points about the water being awful and them needing to find an alternate place soon. That sludgy water hole won’t last much longer in the intense heat. He might, indeed, do much better on his own, surviving on his own terms. If he can find alternate water.
Kellie,
Excellent recap! This group is much better and more capable and sociable than last years group. It is a much harsher place and there is actually dangerous wildlife with which primitive man had cope. I was thrilled to see someone finally make a spear thrower and sharpen some bone for blade and spear heads. I; like you, was disappointed to see Carrie leave before there was real hardship. Darrin is correct when he said a larger “tribe” is better to face the predators. Darrin and Kim are bonding as partners. Jake and Stacey are forming a partner bond. Clarence is already providing “good TV” as the MF crew had hoped and making a conflict of an important decision. I agree with Clarence that they must find a better water source; If one group of elephants arrives all the water will be gone. Clarence will find that he cannot go it alone in this place. Alyssa is asserting herself in the female group which is great. Phaedra is sick again. Tawny is suspicious as usual. I hope all of them make it. The man group are cooperating and in agreement on strategy; plus they are making tools for hunting and trapping. As usual, the PSR makes no sense.
I agree with all you said, except perhaps that Stacy & Jake are bonding. I suspect it’s just a ganging up on Clarence kind of thing. We will see now that he is gone. Did anyone notice his face & body reaction to first meeting Clarence? My first thought (honestly) was that he doesn’t like black people (or maybe it was the fatness?). (Would it really surprise anyone that there is an element of inherent bigotry among certain survival-types?). Also, Jake seemed equally revulsed when Stacy tried to hug him. VERY GAY. The jury is out on these 2, & I guess we will see..
Al, Perhaps you are right and they are ganging up on Clarence. There is certainly no reason to argue with Clarence because he declined to eat the fish. All I know about Jake is that he has shown he is arrogant and a braggart (from his previous episode). Clearly, Clarence makes his own choices and is self contained; I see nothing wrong with that. If Jake and Stacey choose to stay and drink cesspool water; that is up to them. My opinion is they are making a poor choice. I would go with Clarence.