Post Description

Survivorman is a Canadian-produced television program, broadcast in Canada on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN), and internationally on Discovery Channel and Science Channel. The show aired three seasons - 2004, 2007, and 2008.[1]

The title refers to the host of the show, Canadian filmmaker and survival expert Les Stroud, who uses his vast survival skills to survive for up to seven days alone videotaping his adventures in remote locales where he brings with him little or no food, water, or equipment. The fact Stroud spends his time alone without a production crew is a major focus of the show (differentiating it from the similarly themed Man vs. Wild).

During the videotaping of each episode, Stroud is alone and operates all the cameras himself. He is equipped with only his clothes, camera equipment, his harmonica, a Leatherman multi-tool, and often "everyday items" relevant to the episode's particular survival situation or locale. For safety purposes, Stroud carries an emergency satellite phone and normally has daily radio contact with his support crew that is always within rescue range.[2] However, Stroud has stated that while videotaping several episodes, there were times when his emergency phone did not work, leaving him totally alone[3] and has mentioned his concern that his rescue crew may become stranded with him. On a few occasions, Stroud has also been provided with a rifle for safety reasons or as part of the survival situation; In Season 1 Episode 05 - "Canadian Arctic," the local experts he consults insist that because of Polar Bears they would not let him go without a rifle.

Survivorman can be considered a sequel or spin-off to Stroud's earlier project, Stranded, a five-part series that was shown on the Canadian Discovery Channel in 2001.

Les Stroud stopped videotaping Survivorman after the third season due to what he described as the significant physical toll of videotaping each episode.[4] As of fall 2009, reruns are still broadcast on OLN.



Season 3
# Title Original airdate 
18 "Sierra Nevada" November 7, 2008 (2008-11-07) 
Les plays the role of a backpacker in California's Sierra Nevada mountains and challenges search and rescue teams to find him.  
19 "Colorado Rockies" November 14, 2008 (2008-11-14) 
Les survives in Colorado's Rocky Mountains accompanied by two horses.  
20 "Arctic Tundra" November 21, 2008 (2008-11-21) 
Les goes north to the Arctic Baffin Island equipped as a researcher with some advanced survival gear.  
21 "Temagami Hunting (Deep Woods)" December 5, 2008 (2008-12-05) 
Les Stroud is joined by his friend Bob Wilson as they simulate being hunters lost in the forests of Temagami, Ontario.  
22 "Australian Outback" December 12, 2008 (2008-12-12) 
After his ultralight airplane runs out of fuel, Les Stroud is stranded in the Australian Outback.  
23 "Papua New Guinea" December 19, 2008 (2008-12-19) 
In his last episode, Les is stranded in Papua New Guinea jungle and left to survive alone.