Emily Mulligan, a Sydney-based writer, describes the SBS show Alone Australia as her idea of torture, yet she admits to being a devoted spectator. The show leaves contestants alone on a remote beach, where they must survive freezing conditions, potentially catching and eating raw eels. Mulligan notes that the $250,000 prize seems meaningless compared to the lack of a warm shower with nice-smelling oils.
Contestants Face Harsh Realities
Contestants film themselves building shelters, fishing, or losing their composure. Many have a horrible time, and while Mulligan enjoys the variety of breakdowns on free-to-air TV, it's often hard to watch. She recalls a contestant who walked away from his camp in the arctic and couldn't be found for hours, hoping he's now somewhere warm with plumbing.
Despite the suffering, Mulligan appreciates the wholesome nature of some breakdowns. Contestants often miss their partners or sit alone contemplating why they are away from their families. They rarely tap out due to rain, wet socks, or food poisoning from foraging without ChatGPT; instead, a thought grows until they pick up the walkie-talkie and quit.
The Oddity of Survival Skills
The "alone" aspect proves harder for most than physical survival. Mulligan finds it strange that skills like making fire, sleeping on ferns, and constructing shelters are now fringe behaviors, even though they are essential to survival. She jokes about the distance between modern life and nature, noting that killing, skinning, and eating a possum seems bizarre.
She recalls a contestant drinking raw lake water, questioning if ancestors would want us doing that on TV when we have zip taps. Mulligan contrasts this with a world of plastic-wrapped bananas and tropical fruits rotting in fridges, suggesting foraging seems like the ticket, though it's time-consuming.
A Reflection on Modern Disconnect
For millennia, humans lived off the land, but now basic knowledge is a distant memory, explained by Gardening Australia. Watching people boil palm fronds or eat foul fungus is entertainment, like astronauts beaming back from space. Mulligan finds charm in everyday people who volunteer, often to make their families proud or prove something to themselves. She's glad they're filming it, as she'd rather drink eel-ridden lake water than participate.
