Alone Season 5 Episode 8 Review: Slayer II
Kim Russell
at
.
Updated at
.
The contestants on Alone Season 5 Episode 8 and the entire Alone Season 5 are very different than those on any of the other four seasons. They've all been there and done that, so you would think they all would last longer than they have been.
It turns out, the same reasons people have tapped in previous seasons are the same reasons they tap this season. The two main reasons are starvation and loneliness.
I'm not talking about getting pulled out for medical reasons because that can't be helped. We're talking about the contestants who pick up the walkie and summon the big yellow come-and-get-me truck. Frankly, that's driving me insane, and I'll tell you why.
These guys know what they're getting into. They know they're going to be hungry. They know they're going to be lonely.
The thing that's hard to understand is why that matters. It's understandable that you get hungry. Being hungry to the point of starvation is painful, and it's unpleasant. These last five contestants know what that feels like. They've been there.
These little wanderings. They're so good for my mental state.
Randy
You would think that would prepare them, so they'd say to themselves; Okay, this is going to hurt, but it's temporary, and I'll be okay. Power through.
On the other hand, maybe that's the very thing psyching them out. They know being that hungry is going to hurt like hell, so maybe they're saying to themselves; Okay, this is gonna hurt, and I know what it feels like, and I don't want to feel that again.
That may be enough to make them tap.
Randy tapped because he missed being part of a community. He was lonely.
Related: Alone Season 5 Episode 7 Review: Desperate Measures
There's no pain associated with that. The same community he left will be there when he gets back. He's lost nothing. It doesn't make sense to me to tap for that reason. I guess you can't truly understand until you've been completely alone, but logic says it's temporary.
Just one deer. That's all I need.
Dave
Maybe logic doesn't factor in when you're hungry and alone.
Randy may be kicking his own butt right now for leaving because he missed being social, and a part of a community. He wasn't going to be in Mongolia forever, and he very well could have left with $500k. Hell, he could probably sell that cabin for $50k.
Okay, maybe not that much, but it was a sweet pad. Randy was doing everything right. He built a great shelter, he kept his mind busy, and he gave himself goals, but it still wasn't enough.
So, what's the secret sauce?
It seems like Dave and Britt might have the secret. It's in the attitude and the outlook.
Like, Britt was saying that he misses his family, but he knows they're going to be there waiting for him when he's done. That's great! That's the kind of mental strength needed for the long game. It's a temporary situation. That's all.
That trap go off? Yes, baby. Yes!
Sam
Notice when Dave was in the temporary shelter he built to chill in while he was hunting for big game, and it started to snow before he was finished with it, he was fine. He laughed about the shelter being undone, and how beautiful the snow falling was. Then he took a nap.
Great mental mindset.
As long as Dave and Britt keep their minds where they are, there's no stopping them. I'm wondering if there's a limit to the timeframe the producers would allow the contestants to stay in Mongolia. Certainly, it can't go on forever. A year? Could you imagine?
Sam is in a good mental state too, but he's having trouble with food and has been for a while.
Yes, you can expect to be hungry out there, but you do have to eat. They'll pull you for starvation in a heartbeat. Sam has got to find some sustenance if he wants to win.
I'm not holding out hope for him, though. His energy is just too low to hunt the way he needs to, like Dave. That kind of hunting takes a ton of energy, and Sam just doesn't have it. He's been hungry for too long.
A mouse or two isn't going to cut it.
She's a cold one this morning, boys.
Larry
Speaking of mice, is anyone else enjoying Larry's mouse torture? It's like he's Tom, and he's got a ton of Jerrys running around making a fool out of him. Just when Larry thinks he's rid himself of the little Jerry mice, they make their way back into his shelter to torture him some more.
It's such a small thing, mice in your shelter. But it may just be the thing to drive Larry over the edge. He has a temper issue anyway, so we have a bit of a Murphy's Law situation going on with him.
I don't think he's going to tap because of it, but you never know.
If the mice start setting fire to Larry's tail, or trick him into getting his hand smashed in a deadfall, Larry might have no choice but to tap. He better get it on camera, though, because no one would believe him.
What do you think, Alone fans? Were you surprised that Randy tapped? Do you think the mice with drive Tom Larry out of the game? What do you think is the secret to winning?
Tell me what you think in the comments.
Have you missed any episodes of Alone? You can watch Alone online right here at TV Fanatic.
While you're here, catch up on all your favorite shows, and join in the conversations with other TV Fanatics who love TV as much as you do!
Kim Russell was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in January 2019.
