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I watched the first season of Netflix’s Outlast and really enjoyed it. It was an intense show that hit me emotionally. My investment came from the series showcasing humans in all their messy forms. I always planned to watch season 2, but got distracted by the million and one other things I can watch with my Netflix subscription. Then I saw Outlast: The Jungle premiered and decided to watch it before watching the second season.
Outlast: The Jungle is the same series as the original Outlast, but with slight differences. However, it felt a lot lighter and more hopeful than the first season. That one felt bleak. The more inspirational and positive lens actually made me really enjoy this series.
Warning: Outlast: The Jungle spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.
Outlast: The Jungle Ended Up Inspiring Me Because Of The Girl Power Tone
I love inspirational movies starring women. There are also plenty of girl-power-focused TV shows. These films and TV series highlight female empowerment. Women can run the world, and these fictional landscapes highlight this fact. However, I have not seen many survival series that focus on amplifying women as these powerful hunters, nurturers, and strategists in the wild.
From the start of Outlast: The Jungle, you understand that the women are the most valuable characters. They are calm, observant, and skilled. We kind of suspect (and hope) that the women on Team Alpha will end up on top.
They are showcased as the most determined, intelligent, patient, kind, and gritty in the series. You want to be around these women. I loved that the season felt especially filtered through Maddy Jones and Nikki Hru’s lenses. They were the narrators and stars. We need to see more reality TV shows that give women a platform to demonstrate how their skills and natural abilities make them an asset in difficult situations, such as surviving in the jungle.
I Expected Villains But They Were Kind Of Laughable In The End
Many of the men on Outlast: The Jungle don’t come across in the best light. They take alpha male tendencies to the next level. This isn’t the case for every man this season, but far too many of them. The male members of Charlie, in particular, were extremely hard to stomach this season.
They basically came off as bullies who behaved badly until the bitter end, with a strong emphasis on "bitter." They burned down their camp and destroyed their supplies before leaving, just to make sure none of the remaining survivalists could take their leftovers. Additionally, they left talking about how badly everyone else sucked. It showed their very poor character.
You couldn’t even hate these men because they felt so laughable at the end. Almost caricatures of bad guys. They got foiled by the women, aka Outlast: The Jungle’s heroes, in the end.
Additionally, their final acts just make you happy that they got out. Outlast: The Jungle Season 1 Episode 7, “A Shot to Win,” had me on the edge of my seat. I really wanted Alpha to beat Charlie, but things looked so rough. This made it more satisfying when the finale started with Charlie’s elimination. Couldn’t have happened to better guys.
The Ending Was Very Satisfying Because Of The Winners
I saw no other satisfying ending than Maddy and Nikki winning the season. They had done everything right, including dealing with people stealing from them. They stole too, but they did it as revenge, so it felt justified. As previously stated, Outlast: The Jungle felt like it was about Maddy and Nikki. Therefore, every other tribe had done something that made it hard to root for them.
Even when the women decide to leave Leiya Pillitteri behind, you understand because the series paints her as a liability. Nikki and Maddy tried to keep her, but she just wasn’t made for this show. The editors really favored Nikki and Maddy, likely because they knew the outcome. Nonetheless, it worked.
I cheered when the women finally won the show. Reality TV is full of iconic moments, but it’s rare when it ends satisfyingly. This feeling of peace about the winner is due to brilliant editing. We know the heroes from the start, and just take the journey.
Outlast: The Jungle Had A Bit Of An Honor And Integrity Message That I Unexpectedly Connected With
I despise the words honor and integrity on reality competition shows. Big Brother and shows like it often involve at least one contestant obsessed with playing the game with honor and integrity. They will not compromise their morals to win a show. The money isn’t that important to them. In real life, I completely agree that most things should involve some honor and integrity.
However, on a show for money, you know what you signed up for. You should want to win and play as hard as possible to get the prize. Therefore, it’s not fun to watch people try to moralize a game that should have limited morals. Nonetheless, somehow Outlast: The Jungle became an unexpected display of morals.
Outlast Season 1 felt the opposite. So many people were just ruthless that it became difficult to watch. The Jungle takes the opposing view. Nikki and Maddy win because they’re the most honorable team. They’re kind and encouraging, even when Leiya starts to cost them the win.
The show almost acts as proof that honor and integrity do matter in the end. It can lead to decisions that end in a favorable result. I still believe you can lack honor and integrity on reality TV and still win and be a good person. However, I enjoyed that Outlast: The Jungle shows a different perspective. I like the idea that honor and integrity still have a place on reality TV.
The Series Felt Grittier And Real, Which Contrasted It From Other Survival Shows I Watched
I loved Survivor 50, but I am an inconsistent viewer. However, I have seen enough to know the show fairly well. It’s a fun family series that often makes light of the dire situations. It takes out all the danger and darkness of trying to survive on an island. However, we know that they barely eat, face dangerous environmental situations, and play a cutthroat game. It’s not all rainbow and sunshine, but the Survive editing makes it feel less intense than what’s actually happening.
In Outlast: The Jungle, you feel every moment of danger. It exemplifies the darkness and danger that you would expect when living in the wilderness for a few days. This grittier approach to survival just makes the series more compelling. I hope Netflix continues to renew Outlast and Outlast: The Jungle because it feels just as intense as some of the best survival movies.
