Which is a great shame, I think a programme based on real survival / total self sufficiency would be fascinating - more akin probably to "River Cottage" or "Victorian Farm" than "Bunker Nutjob". I think a lot of people would really enjoy the idea of watching a group - even with preparation - go totally solo for a year. Even my own humble "self reliance" posts (sugar making, vinegar making, bee keeping....even maintaing the septic tank and rainwater harvesting) seem to create some interest.
There is a series that to a large extent encompasses what I would call "real" survival that I think members here would enjoy
Its about a family living an isolated life in Alaska
http://www.1channel.ch/watch-2735432-Alaska-The-Last-Frontier
That for me is much more like "real" survival
That's the thing though, folks would sooner watch fair bills jump over a precipice or some talentless twonk attempt to sing or cook than something with proper real world reality and educational content.
I would sooner read your home build blog 100 times back to front, than watch 1 min of most the trash that's on TV these days.
You should make a documentary
The other thing that gets me with all these preppers is, very few are honest enough with themselves to see the big picture.
IF the worst happened then unless you have a varied social group most would be dead within 1 year.
It's no good having 10,000 rounds of ammunition and 600 guns if you come down with appendicitis.
It's not tough to see how people would survive if we were plummeted back to the dark ages, just look at history.
Society NEEDS to have groups, you need blacksmiths, a fixer, teachers, doctors, cooks, foragers, hunters, farmers, fighters (security) seamstress, bakers etc etc.
Even if you don't have all those in your group or village you will need to be producing something to barter with another group that has a doctor, and a bartering substance that's replenish-able.
Perhaps one of these programs could actually film people doing a bug out for a week/month/year. They say theyre prepared and they show you practising for 24 hours but you don't ever see them actually relying on their skills and trying to find reliable food and water for a month...
I agree, although in the US episode i watched a song producer guy did live in his shelter for up to 3 months at a time.
As has been said, sensationalist tv, but not as extreme as I thought it'd be.
Self reliance without the comforts of civilisation is hard going, even in a group. Eye infections, sweat rashes, cuts, dirty fingernails, fatigue, mental stress, cold, thirst and hunger will all lay you low - simple things we can avoid for the most part in today's society.
Anyone who's been on "exercise" for a few weeks at a time will have an inkling.
I'm all for sensible preparation but don't go on national/global tv showcasing what you're doing...
Just my tuppence worth.
Liam
Agree 100%
I also find it amusing that many of these preppers you see are monumentally unfit or physically trained.
Sort of backs up my earlier post in that they tend to only prep seriously on things they enjoy be it food storage or weapons.
The song writer guy was grossly overweight and could hardly walk, he had to sit down after chopping a few pieces of wood.
He did acknowledge the fact at his summation speech though, but in the update he'd not really done anything about it.
His scenario was global nuclear war, call me old fashioned but if i strongly believed that was going to occur i'd want to be as fit as i could possibly be because spending months in a shelter isn't going to do you any favours.
I think it's wise to try and edge your bets with the future, be it looking after your money or having a bug out bag in case of earthquake, floods etc.
But i also think it's great that life is so unpredictable, and unpredictable enough that you can't possibly be prepared for everything it throws at you.
. Mind you, to me, they're all disaster areas as they have a ditzy "survival" atitude instead of a "how shall I live differently" vision. Living is very different from survival. Anybody read "The Day of the Triffids", read, not seen any of the ditzy films. The guy who says "what if the financial system goes down"... eh? ... what if ??? Sigh! And the hunk with the hare is very pretty, I suppose, if you need eye candy but I wouldn't like to trust him to get my food. Someone else commented on his gutting skills, I think even my arthritic hands would do a better job. As the fat guy says of Katrina victims, there won't be anyone to rescue you ... no, there won't. Ho hum, I think I duck and dive if I see a prepper coming 
