Original subtitles

I fear I might be in over my head.

I don't know what that is.

-- Captions by vitac -- www.Vitac.Com

narrator: One man and one woman...

[ screams ]

...Alone for 21 days...

Aah!

I cut myself up pretty good here.

Narrator: ...To face the most primal survival challenge

of their lives.

Man: Mmm -- rat kabobs.

They have no clothes, no food, no water...

Only their skills...

Oh, god, that [bleep] hurts.

...And their will to survive...

Whoo-hoo!

Captions paid for by discovery communications

woman: I'm so scared right now.

Zack: All right. Here we are at the airport.

Getting ready to go.

Lovely wife driving.

Hi.

Kristie: I get the question a lot

about how I feel about zack going into the wild naked

with some random lady.

And while I'm not thrilled with the idea,

I know this is something

that he wants to prove to himself and to his family,

so I support him all the way.

Good luck. Say hi to the camera.

[ chuckles ] hi.

Be safe. All right.

Love you.

Hey, guys.

I'm out here with my granddaddy,

and we're doing a little target practicing.

Now, this is good for killing any little rabbits

or little vermin you got running around your yard.

[ gunshot ]

and then, if a little critter goes on the run...

...Get 'er done.

So, I came out here to my grandma's house

to collect myself.

My son has been...

Pasquale!

I don't think it's gonna hit me

until I'm looking at a strange naked man, you know?

Like, "oh, [bleep] what did I just sign up for?"

I'm feeling pretty pumped. I'm excited.

It's only 21 days.

Bitches pms longer than 21 days, so, hey, we can do it.

My name's afften. I'm 27 years old.

I would describe myself as a ball of awesomeness.

All the primitive skills that I learned,

pretty much from my granddad.

My granddad has some cherokee indian in him

and he taught me that surviving

is kind of just to go out there and be one with nature.

Don't fight nature, because she will win.

Narrator: Afften has studied native a

for most of her life,

but her wilderness skills are untested

in an extreme survival situation.

She has been assigned

an initial primitive survival rating, or psr,

of 6.0.

I'm down for the 21 days.

I'm excited for this. I cannot wait.

I've never seen a place like this ever.

It's crazy.

Hey, my name's zack. I'm from st. Louis, missouri,

and I work as a wilderness field instructor.

Guyana is the wildest place on the planet.

It's untouched.

You're by the equator.

It's hot.

The sun's beating down.

The reason why I chose to become a survivalist is really funny,

because I started watching

discovery channel survival shows, and that got me into it.

Narrator: While zack is motivated to prove he can su

his overall lack of experience

in an unforgiving tropical environment

may hurt him.

Zack begins with a psr of 6.8.

Let's go!

Being naked with somebody of the opposite sex,

the only thing that my wife said as far as the naked rule is,

don't let my hoohah touch her.

So, as long as the hoohah stays where it should be,

we'll be good.

Whoo! Blinded by the white.

Bam.

Just got real. Real [bleep] hot.

I'm not too worried about being naked and afraid in guyana.

I think I'm gonna be bare and ballsy.

I'm ready for this.

I'm doing this challenge

just to prove to everyone out there that's, like, watching

if they think that I'm gonna fail.

I just want to rub it in their face, like, "ha, ha, I'm not."

I'm really hoping

that my partner is a ball of awesomeness, as well.

I want him to be me, but a guy.

What up?

[ laughing ] how's it going? Zack:

I'm afften.

I'm zack. Nice to meet you.

You, too.

So, are you ready for this?

I'm super excited. Yeah?

Are you nervous? Um...

This is crazy.

[ both laugh ]

a little bit. Little bit.

You want to get our packs and get started?

Yeah, let's do it. All right.

Narrator: In addition to a fire starter,

afften and zack have chosen to bring a pot and a machete

to help them endure three weeks in the wild.

I also have some glasses here because I'm blind.

Oh. That's good to have, then.

Yes, yes.

And I also have a map.

Yeah, so it looks like we need to get over here

'cause we're in the middle of nothing, baking in the sun.

Let's go.

Severing all ties to civilization, the survivalists

have been dropped into the rupununi savannah,

a lost world of untouched grasslands,

where the lethal bushmaster, at 10 feet,

is the longest poisonous snake in the western hemisphere.

In this dry tropical wasteland,

with oppressive heat and suffocating humidity,

scarce rivers and creek beds

are patrolled by aggressive black caiman

that can quickly overpower

even the most experienced primitive survivalists.

Zack: See all the palm trees on the horizon?

Afften: Yeah. That's the water.

Yeah, it's got to be some kind of creek or waterway or whatnot.

The sun is, like, baking us, literally.

So, are you married?

Yeah, I'm married. Cool, cool.

How about yourself?

I am married, and I have a 14-month-old son.

Afften: It is hard to be away from my family,

but I did also tell my husband and my son

that I really don't want to be thinking about them

because it's not gonna do anything for me.

So, do you feel like you're naked, or...

The only thing that makes me feel like I'm naked

is not having, like, my wedding ring on.

Uh-huh.

Otherwise, it's just kind of weird.

I don't really -- doesn't really matter.

Yeah.

It's definitely hot. Yeah.

For sure. I can feel the sweat.

You care if we rub some of this on our shoulders?

Go ahead, yeah.

Most dangerous thing is gonna be, for me, is probably sunburn.

Look like a crazy man after this.

[ laughs ]

narrator: Mud can act as a physical barrier sunscreen

because it prevents the sun's u.V. Rays

from penetrating human skin.

Zack: The heat here is nothing to mess with.

Do you want to just go get mud on you real quick?

I'll tell you if it gets, like, too extreme.

My first impressions of my partner,

kind of spastic with making choices.

When I rubbed mud on me, she didn't have any on her.

Just bad decision making, in my opinion.

I can tell you're sweating.

Yes.

Dripping down me.

Afften: It's like set your oven to hell,

and that's, like, what we're on right now.

This is baking.

Baking.

The sun is [bleep] ridiculous.

I'm thinking we should just set up a shelter right here.

Let's just walk and see, you know, what's around.

Okay.

Hey! Water.

Afften: Nice. All right.

Sweet. I'm feeling it.

I sweated so much, and I'm already dehydrated.

My piss already smells and it's yellow,

and just an hour ago, it was clear,

so that tells you how hot it is out here.

I feel dizzy.

You feel dizzy? Yeah.

Okay. Chill out.

I'm sweating so much.

You want to sit down?

No, I thought I was gonna throw up for a second.

Oh, wow.

Narrator: Only four hours into the challenge,

afften is already exhibiting the early signs of heat stroke,

where one's body temperature rises so high,

it begins to cook the brain.

I feel like if I can get this fire for you,

like, and get you water, you're gonna be way more useful.

Here, just...

Yeah. There you go.

Little sticks. Put them on.

Good job, dude.

Yeah. You, too. You, too.

You want to go get water?

Yep.

You go, girlie.

Get yourself some. Okay.

Zack: Partner is definitely getting

I know it's day 1, but the heat's getting to her.

Just pray that she doesn't pass out.

I'm dizzy and I'm fighting not to vomit right now, so...

...I really can't wait to get that water.

[ sighs ]

[ sighs ]

[ coughs ]

you're not feeling bad because you're not d

you're good, right?

Afften: I'm getting slightly frustrated with my partner.

You know, he's like, trying to stifle me.

Like, if I need to say something,

I need to [bleep] say something.

Zack: Pulling a little extra weight is fine. It's day 1.

I have the energy to do so.

I probably will go down at some point during this challenge,

and I expect her to do the same thing.

I'm sure she will.

[ sighs ] tastes like fire.

How you feeling?

I'm still not feeling that great.

Okay.

[ coughing ]

zack: You're not gonna throw up, are you?

Yep.

[ coughing ]

you're losing more body fluid.

I know.

'cause the water tasted like fire.

Zack: So, I'm watching afften throw up,

and I'm thinking, "oh, crap, man.

I might be down to one person, and it's day 1."

[ coughing, vomiting ]

she's sweating a lot. The heat's getting to her.

All I can do is try to support and, you know,

try to get water in her that she won't throw up

and just pray that she doesn't throw that up.

[ animal growling ]

afften: We're hearing weird noises.

I don't know what that is.

[ growling continues ]

zack: That's got to be a caiman.

No, I can hear it moving.

Get out of here!

Oh, oh.

Get out of here!

Zack: Get out of here!

[ creature growling ]

afften: Oh, oh.

Get out of here!

I'm struggling. I need to...

Hydrate, right? Yeah.

Yeah, me, too.

Zack: In the night, we're right by the water,

so you've got lots of animals, you got lots of bugs.

You got all these things

that come into play not letting you sleep.

We really didn't sleep at all last night.

Maybe, like, one or two hours.

We were pretty much just up all night.

Just want to do something, explore a lot.

Yeah, I just don't want to go cra-- you know.

Afften asked if I wanted to go explore right now.

And I'm like, "no."

don't really feel up to it, but I'll do it, you know?

I just want to get [bleep] done while we have the energy for it.

I mean, if we're never gonna have

this amount of energy again...

And I'm probably never gonna be this nice again.

Ouch. Go, go.

The sun's murdering me.

I don't like just sitting.

The sun's up, I'm up. I have to do something.

My grandfather

definitely instilled a little worker bee in me.

He's had cancer for about 14 years.

His doctors tell him, like, "just sit down."

he's like, "no, I'm cool."

he gets out there and pushes himself,

and I admire that so much.

Are you looking for, like, a water oasis,

or are you looking for, like, food?

I'm looking for both.

Any signs of coconuts or something.

Zack: You okay? Afften: No.

What's up?

Starting to think this was a bad idea.

Yeah, I don't think we should've done this,

but I mean, I was, like, just trying to --

no, I just thought it would be good.

I feel like I'm gonna start gagging.

I got to go sit in a watering hole.

Okay.

Zack: This was ridiculous.

It's not smart to go out in the heat,

and she already had heat exhaustion.

[ voice breaking ] I'm so tired of the sun.

She's crying right now, and...

I just don't know how to, like, break it to her,

like, the ideas that she has,

I'm like, "no, we can't do that," and...

I don't want to be a [bleep]

I don't want to be a mean person.

Zack: Let's not do that again.

Afften: Like, don't tell me, "oh, d

just let me think how I want to think, man.

Like, don't stifle me.

[ sighs ]

zack: My body's tired,

so right now, I'm crying.

I'm not, you know, happy, mad, sad.

I'm more just, I guess, frustrated a little bit

that I don't have somebody doing as much stuff as I am.

I'm tired. I'm hot.

I'm cranky now 'cause I got my period.

Ugh, I hate being on my [bleep] period.

Oh, my goodness.

My eyes are gonna start sweating.

[ chuckles ]

hey [sniffles]

I'm just tired, so I think my body's reacting this way.

I'm having problems with my partner,

and the conditions here are just brutal.

And we're starving.

We need a sign from god things are gonna get better.

[bleep] afften: [ sighs ]

narrator: Setting off in the cooler morning,

zack and afften continue their search for food.

Careful of these ginormous thorns.

Hey, come here. Come here.

I think I see a...A turtle.

I see a turtle in here. Come here.

Are you serious? Yes, I see a turtle.

You see a turtle?

Look in this hole, right?

Is that not a turtle shell?

Oh, he's a big boy!

Afften: Just be careful of your hand.

Don't want your hand get bit off.

Holy shenanigans, that's some meat.

[ laughs ] yes.

All right, you have to hold the turtle.

Okay. Can I just put him down and pin him down?

No.

Afften: A little bit nervous to grab the turtle.

I don't really deal with animals like that.

He might run away, you know?

He's a real fast guy.

Just put him down. I'll pin him down.

Wait, which way's his head?

I don't want the [bleep] to come out running.

You don't have to put your stick on him.

He's not going anywhere.

So, afften thinks this turtle's gonna speed away from her.

Right here. Do not come and get me.

Afften: I have seen some big turtles,

so, I my mind, his head's gonna come out and just bite me.

Dude, can you come hold the stick?

[ gasps ] oh, that's a snake.

You got it. Here.

You take the machete.

This is gonna ge way easier with two people.

Do you think it's okay if I leave him or what?

Bring him over here.

[ shouts ]

[ chuckling ] oh, my god. [ laughs ]

[ whimpers ] ew!

Ugh!

Come here.

All right, give it a hit.

Here. Yeah, switch.

I'm not used to your knife. It's all right.

In the last 15 minutes, we have gotten a turtle and a snake.

And one thing that we haven't gotten yet

is some protein in our diet, and it is freaking huge.

There we go.

I'm just gonna stay here for a second,

try to catch my breath.

And not puke.

Zack: I am super stoked to eat some food tonight.

I think it's gonna taste like perfection.

[ chuckling ] probably not to afften.

That's the snake? Is it hard or...

You didn't cook him too much, did you?

No. Okay.

Like jerky.

Are you sure you didn't cook him too much?

I'm sure.

I'm glad you're doing this.

I'm sure you are.

I think some blood splashed on me.

[ sighs ]

zack: I'm doing everything.

She's just thinking about herself.

[ chuckles ] yeah.

Zack: Right now I'm pretty tired,

probably the most tired I've been since I've been out here.

Trying to gut this turtle,

and, you know, just do everything we need, you know?

So...

We have eggs,

and they are more protein

than what we would've had without mama turtle,

so we are thankful, right?

Yep.

I'm so hot.

Zack: Yeah?

Why don't you go lay in the water?

Yeah, dude, I got to go sit in the water.

Right now, I have to cook the eggs.

Okay.

Afften's struggling.

We got all these things we need to do,

and I feel like I'm doing a lot,

so I just have to get used to that.

I cannot eat this.

You need to eat this.

Just, like, gum --

meaty gum.

You're being negative.

You finally get protein, you should be thankful for this.

Yeah, I need water.

Zack: I'm just really frustrated with my partner.

I've got, you know, all this protein,

and I don't -- I don't know.

In survival, if it's dog poop with nutrition, you eat it.

He's kind of getting on my nerves.

[bleep] not always rainbows and [bleep] bunnies,

you know what I mean?

I don't know, now I feel like I'm just rambling.

I don't even know what the [bleep] I'm saying.

Zack: I don't know how long I can

she's driving me absolutely bonkers.

Hey, sweetie. Hope all is well.

Right now, my partner is having issues.

I'm having issues with her, as well.

I remember you told me not to be a [bleep]

well, I'm trying my best.

I want you to know that I'm thinking of you.

I'm using you as my strength.

I'm gonna get through this for you.

I love you so much.

Oh, my god, I'm so tired of warm, smoky water.

I want to drink this water so bad.

I can't believe how hot it is still.

It's ridiculous.

I will literally punch a kitten in the face

for a bottle of water.

No joke.

Cute little cuddly, fluffy kitten --

I'll sucker punch that [bleep]

narrator: After five days of braving the savannah plains of g

zack: Get out of here!

...Afften's poor survival choices

continue to be a mounting irritation

for her partner, zack.

Zack: Frustrated a little bit

that I don't have somebody doing as much stuff as I am.

[ thunder rumbling]

[ rain falling ]

zack: You good?

No.

Everything's gonna be all right.

One way or the other.

Afften: I'm tired. Miss my kid.

The only people I can really talk to to bring me out of this,

can't really talk to.

I can't really get out of this up here, so...

I keep trying to think of what my granddad would tell me.

Probably just try to hang in there

and do what you think is best.

Zack: I'm really concerned about afften's well being.

Throwing up every day at least once.

Yeah?

It's just a tough place to be sometimes.

Afften: I don't really know what it is.

I don't know if it's my period or what, but I just think I'm...

I'm gone and I'm done.

I'm just -- I'm ready.

I want to see my family more than I want this.

Just feel like I'm just -- I'm out of here mentally.

I really don't care anymore, and...Yeah.

I had no idea guyana was gonna kick my butt so hard.

And the heat out here is just unbearable.

I'm tapping out.

Okay.

Well, it's gonna be harder on me. You know that.

Yeah. I know, and I'm sorry.

I'd appreciate any prayers or anything.

Zack: I don't think that afften

really knew what to expect coming out here

as far as the suffering and the bugs, the heat,

all these things that really got to her.

And then really what got to her at the end was all that piling

on top of the mental aspect of thinking of her family,

so who's to say, you know,

if she made a mistake to come out here or not?

But she left on day 7.

Afften: I'm gonna tell my husband and my granddad I left because, I m

it was just getting too much on me mentally.

It's the bugs and the heat.

I'm so irritated that I let guyana kick my ass,

but this place is so hard.

It will eat you up mentally,

the bugs will eat you up physically.

You got to be prepared.

I know it seems easy, you know, sitting on your couch,

but it's not.

Zack: Let me tell you something --

14 out of 21 days is impossible by yourself.

You know what?

I'm gonna do it.

And my will is strong, and I don't care what you think,

'cause I'm here for it and I'm gonna be there at the end,

and I'll see you on the other side.

Zack: Bugs are out. They are swarming.

I'm gonna have some for dinner.

Narrator: With afften having tapped out on day 7,

zack now faces the daunting prospect

of surviving for 14 days in the wild alone.

There's an old saying -- "you can't pick your family."

well, you can't pick your partner. She's gone now.

I'll just use the thought of my wife

to get me through to the end.

[bleep]

they attack fast.

Holy moly.

Anyways, I'm gonna have some for dinner.

That is ants.

Bottoms up.

Get your protein.

[ frog croaking ]

night one without afften.

First time alone alone.

Trying to ask myself, why did I get the stinking partner

and why am I in this situation now?

Having to do this alone sucks.

It's been a few days since I've eaten anything substantial.

I'm starting to feel a little foggy, a little hazy.

It's time to get the spear, walk out, and find some protein.

It's a need, not a want.

If want to eat, you got to hunt.

[ thunder rumbling]

looks like there's a storm coming in.

The winds are blowing and everything's getting dark,

so I need to find some protein fast.

[ thunder rumbling]

holy crap, that's an iguana.

That's protein.

[bleep]

oh, my god.

[ panting ]

I'm so thankful for this.

There's not words.

[ thunder rumbling]

right now, I am gonna be cooking the tail fast.

You know, try to get a good meal in because I'm tired.

Getting that iguana is such a high for me

for strength moving forward.

This iguana tail is awesome.

Lack of sleep is a big issue.

I can deal with the hunger, I can deal with the heat,

I can deal with the animals.

I cannot deal

with these stinking mosquitoes buzzing in my ear

when I'm trying to sleep all night long.

It drives me absolutely nuts.

[ mosquitoes buzzing ]

absolutely nuts!

You can't even realize how hard this is being out here alone.

Time seems to be in slow motion sometimes.

Psychologically, you got to stay above it.

It's not an easy task.

I'm thinking about scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, syrup,

mashed potatoes, gravy, steak.

Ooh, rib eye.

I woke up, and I can't get my face out of this position.

Weird thing about mashed potatoes and gravy,

but what kind of gravy, you say?

Well, maybe you want some white gravy.

Maybe you want some dark gravy.

[ deep voice ] I'm watching you.

Psychologically, it's your mind that's gonna make you tap out.

Narrator: All morning, zack has been unable to move.

His body is burning up.

The combined effect of extreme loneliness and physical hardship

have pushed zack to his limits.

And with just two days until extraction,

a team medic is called in to examine him.

Yeah, my head hurts really bad. It's hot.

[ sighs ]

zack: I've never felt like this ever in my life.

Lord, help me!

I need help so bad.

Lord, please help me.

Please help me.

[ voice breaking ] please help me.

[ crying ] please help me.

Afften: Got some pizza, chicken wings.

Nom, nom, nom, nom!

[ laughs ]

I'm here with my husband, son.

Narrator: 12 days after quitting "naked and afraid,"

afften has safely returned to her hometown.

All right, I need to make a few points here.

First off, I am so grateful for the experience,

and I'm so sorry that I [bleep] malfunctioned.

I mean, I did know some stuff, and it shows you guys, like,

I wasn't just a bimbo out there,

[bleep] naked and afraid! Like, "oh, I can do this

ha, ha!"

but honestly, like, I really would like another chance.

Please don't forget about my goofy ass.

I'll take anybody.

Joshua bell, duct-tape boy --

we'll get at that [bleep]

like I said, once again, I malfunctioned, guys.

I mal-[bleep]-functioned.

Narrator: Afften tapped out after seven days in guyana,

but zack still has two days to go.

Zack: I'm very worried that I might not be able to walk out of h

and it's freaking day 20.

It's hard to walk. Nausea.

When I stand up, I white out or black out.

Narrator: Overnight, zack's condition has deteriorated.

His temperature has been steadily rising.

If his health continues to decline,

the medic team will be forced to evacuate him

before he can reach his extraction.

Zack: I'm gonna split it up into two days

'cause I don't think I can make it in one.

I'm definitely concerned.

I asked god, let me either be okay or not be okay

and make the right choice, and I trust in that.

Zack's two-day extraction

will begin with an arduous five-mile trek

across the sun-scorched savannah,

where he'll need to find a safe place to spend the night.

In the morning, if his illness has not overtaken him,

he will face a final push over mountainous, rocky terrain

to get to the other side, where he'll find his extraction point.

Zack: I need to get to that cave.

Hopefully, I can get some sleep.

Breaking this up into two parts is gonna help me,

even though I'm feeling crappy right now.

I'm not sure if there's a water source on the way to the cave,

so I'm gonna take a pot of water with me and ration it

and also take some wood that's got some embers on it

so that I can be safe in that cave.

Haven't stopped yet.

It gets so hot out here.

It's a dry heat -- you cannot even feel yourself sweating.

It's just baking you.

Whoa.

Bushmaster.

Get the heck out of here.

[ grunts ] [bleep]

so much for my water.

Sucks.

Narrator: Without water, zack's body

will be at much greater risk of dehydration.

With temperatures climbing well over 100 degrees

and with no water source in sight,

he'll be unable to replenish

all the fluids he's losing from sweating.

Zack: I'm thinking about my wife.

I'm gonna use her for motivation and keep moving forward.

The cave.

Okay. Let's do this.

[ bats chirping ]

first order of business is getting fire.

It's really important that I have this fire

'cause of the predators that are in the area at night.

Also have to stay warm.

So, caves are colder, and...

That's why we're going through this trouble.

[ blowing ]

I think that this night is gonna be a long one.

I'm gonna make sure this fire keeps going all night

so these cats don't come and get me.

[ bats chirping ]

I can't sleep.

Bats buzzing in my ear.

Driving me absolutely bonkers.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, I'm out.

It's day 21 in the morning.

I'm about to hike out of here.

I'm not feeling very well right now.

Narrator: The medic team is on alert,

and zack still has another four miles to trek

before reaching his extraction point.

I don't have water, and as far as I know, I have a 102 fever.

I haven't had food in a while.

I don't know that I can do this.

I don't know if I have the mental toughness to make it,

but I'm sure as heck gonna try.

I think this is the extraction point.

I'm sick as a dog,

but there ain't nothing that's gonna stop me now.

[ vehicle approaching ]

this challenge has really shown me who I am.

You can push yourself

a lot farther than what you think you can.

It's time to go home and see my wife.

It's a very emotional time right now.

This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.

And I still got through it, 14 days alone.

I couldn't imagine a more satisfying feeling getting out.

Don't feel naked anymore.

[ clears throat ]

yeah!

Narrator: Over the course of the 21 punishing days in guyana,

zack lost a total of 28 pounds.

Soldering on without a partner for the final two weeks,

zack showed incredible fortitude

in the face of loneliness and a dangerously high fever.

As a result, his psr rises from 6.8 to 8.1.

Despite lasting only seven days in the wild,

afften lost 14 pounds.

Her lack of skills

and inability to adapt to the difficult environment

led to her early departure.

I'm tapping out.

This drops her psr down to a 4.4,

proving once again

how difficult it is to survive naked and afraid.

It's time for what I've been waiting for,

which is to see my wife.

Hallelujah.

Zack: Look at happy dog.

Look at happy wife.

[ laughs ]

happy me.