Okay, like most of you, I was interested in this new “reality” show from NatGeo. Probably my biggest fear was that NatGeo, just like nearly any other media outlet, would make these people out to be right wing nut jobs. After watching 3 episodes, I was partially right. But then again, what can you expect from a sensational title like ‘Doomsday Preppers‘? Why not just ‘Preppers’ or ‘Basic Prepping 101′ or even ‘Advanced Prepping Guide’? Ahh, cause sensationalism sells!
Anyway, on to the Show. Doomsday Preppers is segmented into blocks featuring 4 preppers. It fist will tell you what they’re prepping for, then show some of their endeavors and finally end up giving the preppers advice from so called “expert preppers”. Finally, at the end, they try and give you odds of whatever it is they are prepping for/against happening. Funny, but they always downplay the odds of whatever it is that’s concerning the preppers.
Is Doomsday Preppers Just Another Reality Show?
For example, last episode a NY firefighter was prepping because he feared a Super Volcano in Yellowstone sending an ash cloud across the country and sending the world into a panic. At the end, they basically tell you that he’s nuts for thinking such things because the chances are astronomical. They also take little pot shots at the preppers along the way.
For example, during one episode, a woman was learning how to make a knife blade from chert. She then proceeded to skin a catfish and stated that she would eat it raw because cooking it would diminish the nutrients. Up popped a box at the bottom of the screen saying how cooking doesn’t diminish the nutrients in fish. Just another way they’re making it easy for the general public to put the ‘Nut Job’ label on these people.
But what I don’t understand is who are these ‘expert preppers’ that give advice. We never see them or know why it is that they’re “experts” in prepping? For all we know the show’s producers sit there and tell these preppers where they are failing.
One nice touch I like is that NatGeo revisits them at some time (apparently) just before airing to see if/how they’ve implemented the changes that the expert preppers gave. This is nice to see how they’re coming along and whether or not they headed the advice.
Other Problems I Have With The Doomsday Preppers
Some of the things that bug me about this show come from the contestants their self. Mainly, why in the world would you go and tell everyone on national TV that you’re prepping? You just made you and your family a huge target. It wouldn’t be hard to find any of these people after they appeared on the show. I have to think that if you’re serious about prepping, one of your first actions would have a “loose lips sink ships” policy where everyone keeps their mouth shut about what you’re doing.
I’d also like to know how the show goes about selecting the people who they feature. Some seem pretty amateurish about their prepping ability. Take the women they feature in Houston. She’s going to walk 12 miles through Houston to an undisclosed location and retrieve her bug out vehicle. If anyone has been to Houston, you’d know that walking through the city isn’t a good idea, especially after dark. The show also said that this woman had an aggressive work out regiment, which if you watched the show, it was obvious that he workout wasn’t that aggressive…just sayin’.
Overall, I generally like the show well enough to TiVo it and watch it at my leisure. Although I was hoping that Doomsday Preppers would take a non-judgmental view of preppers, it’s apparent that this is not going to happen with this show.
Things I Learned From Doomsday Preppers
I have to say, there were a few things I learned, or relearned, from the show, albeit very few. The first one was the technique about making eggs last longer. I knew that, I had just forgotten it. I also found it interesting how the same lady from Utah put up hard cheese for long term storage. Again, at one time in my life I knew this tidbit of information, but I had just forgotten it along the way!
I learned that storage containers can stop a .22 from 100 yards…LOL…okay, I’m being sarcastic. But this was the first “over top sensationalism” moment of the show in my opinion.
Probably one of my favorite scenes was from last week when they guy apparently shot his thumb off. The show made it seem like it was a misfire, but the details were sketchy. I’m betting he had some kind of hangfire and put his thumb over the end of the barrel when he was trying to clear the weapon. Either way, it goes to show how even a second of carelessness can cause you real and ongoing problems.
Should you watch the show? Well, that’s your choice. Don’t expect to get loads and loads of information about prepping from the show. In fact, I’d say you can get way more and better information from YouTube than you can this show.
Resources for Preppers and Prepping
–(including a link to the show for those of you who haven’t seen it)
Doomsday Preppers on NatGeo
Prepping Articles from Ready Made Resources (I highly recommend ‘liking’ them on FaceBook for their regular updates)
Prepping Forum on Homesteading Today
And a few video trailers for Doomsday Preppers from NatGeo
Have you Watched Doomsday Preppers?
If you’ve watched the show, leave a comment below and let us know what you thought about it. The good and the bad!
