Alone Season 12 did something radically different than previous seasons of the History series, but since I'm just now watching with my Hulu subscription, I'm late to the party. For once, I got to see a bunch of trained survivalists attempt to win it all outside of a winter climate, and it was an almost perfect experience.
With Season 13 returning to the cold climates, I'd love to see Alone consider Africa again for future seasons. One small change I'd prefer, however, is that they stick to survivalists who are actually familiar with Africa, as it could go a long way toward improving the action.
Alone Season 12 Might've Lasted Longer With Survivalists Familiar With Africa
I noticed that Alone Season 12 took notes from fans, or at least it felt that way with fewer kill shots of animals. Of course, there was only so much the production team could be prepared for, and I wonder if they overestimated how well its cast would fare in the Great Karoo Desert.
That's confirmed by Executive Producer Ryan Pender, who told Outside the team was shocked when four of the show's ten contestants tapped out in the first week. In the end, winner Nathan Olsen lasted thirty-four days before winning, a far cry from Season 11's three finalists lasted for over 80 days in the Arctic Circle.
Pender admitted that Season 11's survivalists, even aside from their natural skills, had an advantage over Season 12. They'd seen previous contestants and their strategies. It's safe to say that if future seasons continued to happen in Africa, others could learn and potentially last longer in Alone as well.
Additionally, I also have to point out that out of all of the contestants, very few of them were familiar with the challenges unique to the African desert. Skittish prey and drinking water were huge issues, and things that most experienced survivalists haven't struggled with in past seasons. I would suggest that if they return, they find survivalists with a proven track record of desert survival or experience in Africa.
I'd Love To See Alone Try More Climates Than "Cold"
Fortunately, Pender confirmed the Alone team hasn't sworn off a return to Africa. While Season 13 put contestants back in the Arctic Circle, the EP said that there's now a road map for how to pull off a successful season in Africa, and obviously interest in finding ways to tweak the formula in a way that contestants can survive for longer.
I'm happy to hear this, especially as someone who fell in love with another reality competition show, Outlast: The Jungle. While the series didn't focus as much on the isolation aspect, I liked the fact that contestants had to continually remain active to survive. People had to hunt and forage, rather than throw a fishing line in a water source and try to keep from moving as much as possible.
Maybe the solution is not to hope Alone changes the way it runs, but I just need to start watching Alone Australia. That may hold me over for the rest of the 2026 TV schedule, as I wait to see what the flagship show does with its next season.
Watch past seasons of Alone right now on Hulu, as we all wait to see when Season 13 will hit the platform. Hey, just because it doesn't take place in a warm climate doesn't mean I'm going to skip it!
