Original subtitles

[wind blowing]

[epic music playing]

[narrator] Welcome to the rugged arctic coast.

A harsh and merciless frontier,

sculpted by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago.

[bird calling]

This unforgiving landscape hosts a never-ending

struggle for survival.

[growling]

But one forbidding presence stands above the rest.

[epic music playing]

[bear growling]

The mighty Alaskan brown bear.

[growling]

These hulking giants rule with an unmatched ferocity.

That is, once they gain a little weight.

Well, a lot of weight.

Hold on, don't get offended.

Let me finish my epic intro.

Buckle up for the journey of a lifetime as we witness

these glorious creatures battle each other and nature

to consume at least 3 million calories

and gain nearly 90 kilos across 150 days,

in the original survival show.

This is The Hungry Games, Alaska's Big Bear Challenge.

This year, winter has been the hardest

and longest in over 100 years, with some of the most

violent storms to ever hit this land.

But now, in late May, winter is finally thawing.

[ice thawing]

And this cast of characters emerges from their cozy dens.

[pop music playing]

One month later than usual.

* I don't wanna wake up, today I'm being lazy *

Seriously behind schedule to pack on the nearly

90 kilograms they'll need to survive another year.

And we all know how a bear likes to gain weight.

* I don't wanna wake up from my imagination *

But the salmon won't arrive for another five weeks.

I'd send an angry tweet.

[bear growling]

Mate, I feel you.

I stare into the endless void of my refrigerator too,

just hoping something will appear.

So each bear must decide which food source offers

the best bet to survive until then.

And give them a shot at the "Hungry Games" crown.

* I don't wanna get up, I don't wanna get up *

[bird calling]

You might be asking yourself, "how are you going to judge

which bear is the champion?"

This competition isn't just about survival of the fattest,

it's about survival in every respect.

The bears will be judged on three categories,

each one essential to staying alive another year.

We call it the Big Bear Score.

[clears throat]

Beefiness.

Are they devouring enough calories

to survive the impending winter?

Bulking up is every bear's first job

and critical to claiming the crown.

Ingenuity.

What is the bear's game plan for gaining

and keeping those crucial calories?

The smart bear knows how best to use them to survive.

Grit.

Our champion must demonstrate

incredible bravery and determination

in their battle to survive the feeding season.

There are a total of 100 points up for grabs

between the three big categories.

Fifty attainable points for beefiness

while ingenuity and grit have a possible 25 points each.

There will be three stages to this competition.

During each stage, the choices the bears make

will either add or subtract from their score.

[bears growling]

[bear growls]

And just like in school,

70 out of 100 is a passing grade.

Bears that score below 70 points at the end

of each stage will be eliminated from the competition.

The bear that has the top score at the end of three stages

will be crowned Alaska's Big Bear Champion.

[epic music playing]

Experience points us to three locations

known to draw hungry bears.

[epic music playing]

Firstly, the legendary Brooks Falls.

[river flowing]

This prominent spot is famous for dramatic images

of salmon leaping into beer's mouths.

What most people don't realize, though,

is it offers little in the way of nutrition

until the salmon actually arrive in July.

Most of the bears who frequent the falls

are accustomed to an easy meal.

Looking at you, sir.

Perhaps, sir, you would enjoy a salad instead?

Something nutritious while sir waits for sir's main course?

[bear growls]

Yeah, I didn't think so.

Okay, we'll check on them again later.

[soft music playing]

Over on the coast, the rocky shore of Point Douglas

tends to generate some energetic early season action.

The ocean frequently serves up nutrient-rich gifts

of aquatic carcasses for the enterprising bear.

Yummy!

And lastly, Hallo Bay.

Nestled in the mouth of Ninagiak River,

this lush meadow provides a constant

and safe source of springtime nutrition.

From clams, to berries, to grass.

There are even delicious seagull eggs for the intrepid

bear willing to swim over three kilometers

off the coast of Hallo Bay to Ninagiak Island.

[epic music playing]

[seagulls squealing]

But most of the bears at Hallo Bay

do prefer the mainland.

[scratching]

[bears growling]

[snoring]

Oh, in fact, here comes a prime contender for the crown.

Boldface.

[soft music playing]

The first-time Mom is with her three cubs.

Raccoon, Bandit and Scamp, or as she calls them...

[narrator imitates bear growling]

She spent her childhood summers here in Hallo Bay,

a wide open space, where danger is easy to spot.

[growling]

It's a great place for cubs to play

and grow under Mom's watchful eye,

while she homes in on some early season nutrition.

And for good reason.

During hibernation, bears lose between

a quarter and a third of their body weight.

And Boldface lost even more because she started

making milk for her cubs.

A guaranteed meal is what keeps her coming back to Hallo Bay.

The expanse is blanketed with gourmet greens

in the form of sedge grass.

It's the world's most scenic salad bar,

delivering an impressive 413 calories per kilogram.

Oh, come on, kids, eat your lawn salad or you'll go hungry.

Gosh, I do sound a bit like my mother there.

Ultimately, they'll need to learn

to survive on their own,

and it falls to Boldface to teach them.

If she can keep herself and her cubs safe

while also bulking up for the winter,

she's sure to garner lots of big points.

Well, she's off to a good start and has already

added two points to her beefiness score.

[soft music playing]

Boldface isn't the only beer in Hallo Bay

vying for the "Hungry Games Championship" this year.

Oh, hello, Casanova.

This precocious four-year-old has spent

the past few years learning how to survive.

And now he's ready to take his first run

at the "Hungry Games Championship".

But like most rookies,

there's training and then there's execution.

So, young man, what do we think?

Time to get to work?

Oh, that's not what I meant.

Casanova has fixated on a different task

during the summer months, breeding.

[bears growling]

With so many brown bears to choose from,

we asked Casanova if he had a certain type.

He said, "brunettes".

["Get Up And Run" playing]

Breeding season happens before the bears start fishing,

peaking in June.

And Hallo Bay's mixture of juvenile males and females

turns it into Katmai's largest singles bar.

Pace yourself, Casanova. This isn't F-bear Island.

Unfortunately, Casanova's youthful enthusiasm

has him burning more calories than he's taking in.

It's almost like he's not aware he's in a competition.

What he hasn't seemed to grasp is that he is not going

to impregnate any of these females right now.

I mean, they're not even ovulating yet.

And since he's not thinking with his brain,

that is a two-point deduction from ingenuity.

Casanova would do well to learn from Bernie.

This grizzled veteran has seen a thing or two,

developing a skill set that makes him an early

favorite to claim the "Hungry Games" crown.

[soft music playing]

The verdant meadows of Hallo Bay provide

the perfect setting for this elder state's bear.

He doesn't care about those young dominant males,

he just wants to eat, dammit!

Look at him focused on demolishing that grass,

like the Snoop Dogg of the bear world.

[soft music playing]

See how Bernie doesn't respond to that female?

He can tell it's not the right time.

This is the mark of a master big bear

who knows it's a marathon, not a sprint.

[bear panting]

The wide open river delta gives Casanova the freedom

to learn the ropes at his own pace.

Well, as long as he doesn't interfere

with Bernie's grass-guzzling.

Although bowing to Bernie's seniority might

reflect negatively on Casanova's Big Bear score.

[soft music playing]

While Hallo Bay doesn't have many dominant mature bears,

we know the place they congregate.

And it's just a few drone shots away.

Forty-four plus kilometers north of Hallo Bay,

Point Douglas is a frequent landing spot for protein-rich

food that attracts the strongest bears.

[soft music playing]

While belly scratching and paw licking

don't immediately scream dominance,

getting all up in some rotten whale carcass

is an epic baller move.

Nutritionally-rich blubber contains over

1800 calories per kilogram.

Over five times more than salmon,

giving the bears at Point Douglas

an early season advantage for the championship.

But the downside?

The bears aren't guaranteed any calories.

They have to fight for their spots at the carcass

and the other things they want, like the ladies.

[bears growling]

[rock music playing]

These rocky shores turn into an ursine coliseum

as the males engage in constant play fighting

to impress potential mates.

And of course, well, the female is none too impressed.

Ooh, tough room, guys.

All of this posturing creates a pecking order.

[rock music playing]

[bears growling]

Alright, by show of paws,

who thinks Stomper should be at the top?

Despite his diminutive stature, Stomper struts

around with the confidence of a high school quarterback

and the ego to match.

But it remains to be seen if he has the strength

to back up the attitude.

[bears growl]

[suspenseful music playing]

[bears growling]

They say the pen is mightier than the sword.

I say a bear growling into your face is mightier still.

Stomper got top spot on the carcass,

earning two ingenuity points.

[slurping]

Whoa!

Everybody, stop what you're doing.

Blondie's going to show us all how to make an entrance.

* Sweet like honey, so this man buzzin' me like bees *

* [inaudible] *

* Sugar, sugar too sweet *

* Caught you looking at me *

Tough, smart and in her prime, Blondie could make a real

push to win this year's competition.

With starting a family on her mind,

Blondie has to optimize her me time for meals and mating.

And I see our boy Stomper is trying

to pencil in some us time.

[bears growling]

And suddenly Katmai becomes

four million acres of friend zone.

Phew, that's gotta hurt.

We'll need to take away some ingenuity points for that one.

Or sure, take it out on that guy.

I mean, why not?

It's definitely his fault you have no game.

Ah, yes. Emotional eating.

Reliable refuge of rejected bears.

And narrators everywhere.

[epic music playing]

Heading back to Hallo Bay, Boldface and her cubs

Raccoon, Bandit and Scamp

seem settled into life in the meadow.

[birds chirping]

[bear growls]

Although the kids would rather play than eat.

[soft guitar playing]

Of course the cubs prefer Mom's milk

over the lush sedge grass that surrounds them.

But can you blame them?

[soft guitar playing]

Her milk is way more nutritious than the sedge grass.

[soft guitar playing]

Boldface has to strike a delicate balance.

Every time she lets her cubs nurse,

she loses precious calories.

Then again she wants her babies to grow up big and strong.

[soft guitar stops]

[tense music playing]

[bear growls]

[narrator gasps]

An unwelcome visitor.

[tense music playing]

The young bears quickly fall in line and retreat

to safety with their mother.

[narrator sighs]

Except Raccoon.

Bro, forget the snack. Get back to Mom.

[tense music playing]

This is a dangerous moment for Raccoon.

That wolf can reach over 55 kilometers per hour

in short bursts.

If Raccoon strays too far,

that wolf could snatch him.

[tense music playing]

[growls]

[tense music continues]

[wolf growls]

[bear growls]

Oh, nice move, Mom.

That stern rebuke draws her wayward cub back

to the safety of the family.

[tense music playing]

Oh, but that doesn't seem to deter the wolf.

[bear growling]

Hmm, risky strategy, Ms. Wolf.

One mad mama bear paw to your snout

and the only plastic surgeon good enough to repair it

has a wait list of like nine months.

[tense music playing]

[bear growls]

[wolf whimpers]

Well played, Boldface.

The wolf knows she's missed her chance.

[calm music playing]

Boldface has kept her family safe and intact.

She did spend precious calories but her cub count

is steady at three and her grit score gained five points.

This encounter with a hungry wolf is a stark

reminder that this competition is the real deal.

Failure doesn't just mean losing the big bear crown,

it could mean something far worse.

[emotional music playing]

Peace of mind is hard to come by here.

One daring bear has a different solution

to handle the threat of hungry wolves in Hallo Bay.

Experienced mama Parsnip

has brought her cubs to the safety of Ninagiak Island.

[soft guitar playing]

But something no one is safe from.

This cuteness overload.

[soft guitar playing]

The three-plus-kilometer swim to Ninagiak Island

burned a lot of calories.

Parsnip is playing a risky strategy this early

in the season but it could pay off if she

and the cubs fatten up in relative safety.

Digging clams definitely expends more calories than eating grass

but those bivalves offer a bigger nutritional boost.

Plus the essential fatty acids and cholesterol

in razor clams help lactating mama bears.

But you knew that, didn't you, Parsnip?

Parsnip was brought here by her mother,

and generally if a cub is taken to Ninagiak Island

they repeat that learned behavior as an adult.

[soft guitar playing]

Unfortunately the big dig yields very few clams.

Don't worry, guys, you'll learn with time.

Maybe just not right now because the rising tide

is submerging your buffet line.

[tense music playing]

Time for Plan B or make that Plan C as in celery grass.

While it's not as nutritious as the sedge grass

on the mainland, this source of vital early

season calories lies safely above the changing tides.

Ninagiak Island does hold one other nutrition option.

[seagulls squeal]

No, not you. Don't worry.

I meant your eggs.

Seagull nests are everywhere and turn this island

into a year-round Easter egg hunt.

Gull eggs pack a serious nutritional punch,

around five times more calories than whale meat,

but only if a bear can reach them because

the gulls have spent years working on their ABNT.

That's right, Anti-Bear Nest Tech.

There's Dudley, one of Parsnip's teenagers

from her first litter, on the hunt

for those nutritious seagull eggs.

Although on his own, Dudley's too young

and too small to enter the "Hungry Games" competition.

Word of advice for you, Duds.

Next time, just lie on your application like the rest of us.

[bear growls]

Ooh, a growl. Original.

Try writing some new material, Dudley.

The wise Mom is waiting to see what her teenager finds.

Her new cubs aren't quite ready to start rock climbing

and she's not going to leave them without a guarantee.

[soft music playing]

Wait, is he eating celery grass?

Oh, Dudley, I just did a whole bit

saying you want seagull eggs.

So you're kind of making me look bad here.

Well, Parsnip isn't going to help you.

Her focus is on the cubs.

And for now, their meal is solely celery grass.

Despite the bold choice to bring her family to Ninagiak Island,

the dismal nutritional returns have backfired on Parsnip.

[soft music playing]

[soft music playing]

[scratching]

Looks like we got ourselves an ursine dance party.

Well, I guess that answers the age-old question.

Does a bear twerk in the woods?

There's actually a very practical reason

for this bear boogie.

Temperature regulation.

Bears don't have sweat glands, so they've got to shed

as much fur as possible to stay cool in the summer.

Any way they can.

[rock music playing]

All this shedding also helps explain why it may seem

like the bears don't look the same from one day to the next.

But brown bear's cooling strategy goes

far beyond strategic fur removal.

[music stops]

[gurgling]

Cannonball!

Sticking their bald noses in the water

is a time-honored way to cool off.

[calm music playing]

[gurgling]

Sweat glands are pretty cool, but so is lying in a river.

I'm always saying that.

[calm music playing]

Bernie was into cold plungers long before

Wim Hof took credit for it.

Pairing an afternoon soak with a sumptuous meal.

Bravo!

My man is focused like a laser on the task at hand.

The average sedentary male brown bear burns up to

7,100 calories daily, while an active bear

can burn upwards of 9,500 calories a day.

I mean, who wouldn't kill for that metabolism?

Actually, these bears.

With a goal of gaining 90 kilograms they have to eat

upwards of 40 kilos of sedge grass a day to stay on mission.

So, yeah, Bernie, keep doing you and make Snoop Dogg proud.

[calm music stops]

[epic music playing]

With spring firmly in the past,

summer's promised warmth appears to have taken hold.

[epic music stops]

[soft piano playing]

At Point Douglas, most of the bears

have stopped the fighting to double down on building

an ample fat reserve for the winter to come.

Except Stomper, who's still pushing

for dominance and some female companionship.

Wait, is that Blondie? Still aiming high, apparently.

In the game of love, Stomper's batting average is...

well, let's just say he's still looking for the bat.

And Blondie? She's already left the ballpark.

Denied again, but he's still acting

like he's king of the whale.

And so far, his posturing's gone unchallenged.

Oh, but hang on, Stomper. There's a new bear on the scene.

[tense music playing]

It's BigBoi, a brooding eight-year-old

who clearly lives up to his name.

[tense music playing]

Hmm, Stomp is paying him no attention,

which must be intentional since there's very little

chance he missed the new arrival's scent.

A bear's sense of smell is seven times better

than a bloodhound's and 2,100 times better than a human's.

So if you even think of a bear, he's probably smelling you.

[bears growling]

BigBoi catching Blondie's

attention catches Stomper's attention.

Hashtag love triangle.

P.S. We're also trying to capture some

of the lucrative dating show market.

While Stomper has desperately fought for power and authority,

BigBoi exudes natural superiority.

[growling]

Just look how all the other bears show deference,

clearing out for him to dine in peace.

Everyone but Stomper, that is.

He seems determined to hang on to top billing at the carcass.

Oh, is it on?

Oh, here we go.

This could be a tussle and a half.

[tense music playing]

No, not even a quarter.

Well, at least Blondie's taking advantage

of the testosterone fest,

getting some much needed nutrition.

[bear growls]

Oh, hold the phone!

Bear fight on the starboard bow!

BigBoi charges Stomper!

[bears growling]

[tense music playing]

Wow, and like that, BigBoi swiftly ascends

to dominance at the Whale carcass.

[tense music playing]

In Katmai, fortunes flip faster than a spawning salmon.

With BigBoi ruling the roost,

Stomper's gotta hustle for every calorie.

In this game, you win or you...

well, you get really, really hungry.

[calm music playing]

We're one month into the feeding season.

Let's do an unofficial check-in on the score

just to see how our competitors are doing so far.

[calm music continues]

As a reminder, there are 50 beefiness

points up for grabs, with 25 more for ingenuity

and 25 for grit, making 100 a perfect score.

They'll need to be above 70 when the stage is complete

to stay in the competition.

Without further ado, let's see how the bears rank.

Bernie's the Einstein of the bear world,

with ingenuity off the charts, making the most of every calorie

without expending energy he doesn't have to.

Since claiming the throne at the carcass,

BigBoi's not just eating, he's feasting like royalty,

bolstering both his grit and ingenuity scores.

With a steady influx of calories,

he's a dual threat.

Boldface is showing real determination,

scoring high on grit as she valiantly protects her cubs,

but she's trailing in the beefiness department.

To stay in the running, she'll need to shift focus

from guardian to gourmand,

beefing up to match her tenacity.

And on the other end of the spectrum,

that changing of the guard

tanked Stomper's ingenuity and grit scores.

And Casanova only thinking with his,

[whistles] "how's your father?"

cost him dearly in all three facets of his score.

Blondie has yet to really show what she's got.

And lastly, Parsnip, well, she's got a slight boost

in ingenuity for taking the kids to Ninagiak Island,

but their nutritional intake isn't hitting the mark.

Looking at the full scoreboard now,

four bears appear to be below the cut-off.

Fortunately, there is still time to make up for lost ground.

Oh, and if you're curious about our friends at Brooks Falls...

In deference to their delayed start and acknowledging

their impending caloric explosion,

they've earned a bye for this stage and will actively

join the competition in the next stage.

So while their coastal cousins consume any and all calories,

the bears of Brooks Falls are making a wise choice

to conserve their energy, biding their time in

anticipation of their nutritious meal that will soon arrive.

How about a grassy side salad while you wait?

No? Well, I'm having one. Mmm, yummy grass.

Ugh, forget it. He's not falling for it.

Okay then, well, in their defense,

the decision to wait and protect their minimal

reserves is born from years of experience

and passed down along the generations.

[epic music playing]

Keep this diet up and they'll be begging you

to walk at Paris Fashion Week.

Probably on condition that you don't

eat the other models.

We'll see you in July.

Until then, just consider a snack.

[thunder]

Well, just when it seemed like beach season was here to stay,

the storms return, punishing the inhabitants

of Katmai National Park.

But it's all part of the challenge.

Bears that stay focused during the deluge

will get a bump in their grit score,

not to mention a bigger belly.

And for those who aren't, well, at least if Casanova

isn't eating, he is focused on continuing his genetic lineage

with the help of Ginger, who shares Casanova's

complete lack of shame and they have so much in common.

Hey, buddy, how about putting something

in your body for a change?

Food, I'm talking about food.

Oh, wait, this is something new.

Based on Bernie's reaction, Casanova might have struck gold

and actually found a female in estrus after weeks of trying.

Well, it could be that this time next year there will be

a litter of little Casanovas running around.

Assuming he can finish,

because the old man is on Ginger's scent.

[upbeat music playing]

Um, heads up, Casanova. Hey, hey, look left.

No, the other left.

Well, at least he's good looking.

[upbeat music continues]

Well, that's one way to end a party, Bernie.

After burning calories on all that foreplay,

Casanova comes up empty pawed.

Although, he could find another use for that empty paw.

Oh, never mind.

Bernie's keeping the party going.

This battle to procreate is baked into their DNA.

The catch is brown bears actually have one of the lowest

reproduction rates of any mammal in North America.

There's no guarantees that mating

will even produce a litter.

And just quietly don't tell Bernie this,

but cubs of the same litter can have different dads.

This time next year there could be a litter

of little baby Casanovas and Bernies.

In fact the brown bear paternity and child support system

is a total mess in desperate need of reform if you ask me.

Don't worry, Ginger. I'm sure he's totally going to call you.

You give it a couple of days.

It's okay, Casanova.

She just went for a guy who's better than you in every way.

If I got dumped, I'd focus on eating.

[soft music playing]

[panting]

A month into feeding season, and the bears of Point Douglas

are still enjoying the nutritious bounty

of the whale carcass.

Although they've made quite a dent

in the beast, devouring nearly half of it.

Honestly, that must smell horrible.

Good job, you guys!

Oof, packing on pounds is a matter of great consequence.

But, yowzers, it's not exactly an Instagram-ready lunch.

Like me in the dating game, brown bears

are famously unfussy, finding calories

from basically whatever crosses their paths.

[upbeat music playing]

Despite the scrum for calories,

BigBoi holds court from the prime position

on the carcass, as Blondie tucks in to eat.

Enjoying your nori, tough guy?

If he wants to stay in the competition,

he'll have to find a way out of detention

and back to the carcass.

[growling]

But right now, that's BigBoi's call to make.

I guess that's a no.

[bear growls]

A hot new bombshell interrupts Blondie's

meal because he wants to couple up.

Sorry, I thought I was narrating F-bear Island

for a second there.

The irony is that by denying Blondie's proper nutrition,

these males lower the chance that she'll get pregnant.

Yes, I'm talking to you guys. Cut her some slack.

You're not just blocking Blondie's buffet,

you're fumbling your chance to be a dad.

[upbeat music playing]

Hey, big guy, you seeing this crowd around Blondie?

You've got some serious competition, dude.

What's the plan?

Oh, looks like he's gonna let them shoot their shot.

Fill up now and play the hero later, right?

Blondie's making her way back to the feast.

-Dinner isn't over yet. -[bear growls]

Oh, man, another suitor charges!

Is it romance he's after or just some of that

prime dining real estate?

Well, that's just how Mom and Dad used to kiss.

[tense music playing]

[bears growling]

Blondie's making it clear she's her own protector and provider.

And now back to her well-earned meal.

[calm music playing]

Feeding season crawls closer to July.

The summer of storms is living up to its name.

But that's not stopping the contenders of Hallo Bay.

Look at Bernie, just focused on eating

after his reproductive escapades.

What a player.

And there's Boldface, riding herd on her brood,

making sure they get their calories.

[calm music continues]

Well, those kids have come a long way since the start

of summer, hoovering up all the grass like mama taught them.

They're definitely looking heftier than we first met them.

[calm music playing]

Although, a curious choice from Boldface,

risking a tidal plain during the rain?

I guess you're trying to make up for the late start,

going for any and all sedge grass now.

As the season ticks on, the grass's prime nutrients

dwindle, making this late dash a risky but necessary move

for catching the tail end of its peak goodness.

But let's take a second look at why this move is such a gamble.

[tense music playing]

As the tide comes in, the once dry plain fills up,

creating rivers that surround Boldface and her cubs.

Normally these would be shallow and slow moving,

easy to cross even for the youngest of bears.

But the current is picking up as the rivers swell with rainwater,

unfortunately leaving her just one exit across the river.

For a mom who's made great decisions so far, I doubt she'll

mention this blunder in any future job interviews.

If they don't move soon,

the last bits of dry land will be submerged.

[tense music playing]

Mom is testing the current

before putting her cubs in danger.

[tense music playing]

Now she's calling for them.

That means they're going to have to swim for it.

[tense music playing]

Oh, there they go!

Boldface is waiting for them about halfway across the river.

If they can swim to her, she can carry them the rest of the way.

Come on, kids! Hurry up and get to your Mom!

Oh, Raccoon is having trouble fighting the current,

which seems to be getting stronger.

Always a step behind, isn't he, that Raccoon?

Bandit has made it to his Mom.

Scamp is close. Let's go, kids! Swim for your lives!

[tense music continues]

Two cubs on board. Raccoon giving it all he's got.

[tense music continues]

Come on, Raccoon!

And he makes it! Ah, classic Raccoon.

Keeping things interesting till the very end.

Oh, okay. I think we can all breathe again.

[epic music playing]

Whew!

That was truly a moment of maternal determination and grit.

[epic music playing]

Wow!

This sweet mom stays focused on the task

at hand while her kiddos take a well-deserved nap.

Eat up, Boldface. You've earned it.

[tense music playing]

[epic music playing]

[epic music continues]

With a geological blink of the eye, June melts into July.

60 days have elapsed since the bears

of Katmai first emerged from hibernation.

[tense music playing]

The passage of time brings the bears

to the first official Big Bear ranking.

[growls]

As the first stage of the "Hungry Games",

Alaska's Big Bear Challenge draws to a close.

[suspenseful music playing]

Oh, did you think we were joking about keeping score?

[snorts]

There's very little surprise atop the leaderboard

with BigBoi and Bernie claiming the top spots.

A breakdown of their score reveals

these two played a complete game in the first stage.

First up, BigBoi steps onto the scale.

His beefiness? A whopping 45 out of 50.

No surprise there, and he should easily

top the overall score cut-off of 70.

Let's see his ingenuity score.

A solid 20 out of 25.

And his grit score? A robust 22.

Our king of the carcass crushes the competition

with a towering B.I.G. score of 87.

I tell you what, that's going to set

a high benchmark for the first stage.

Let's turn to Bernie, the clever old bruin of Hallo Bay.

This old dog didn't need to learn any new tricks

as he packed on the pounds to chalk up an impressive

43 on the beefiness scale.

And for the ingenuity score, a staggering 23.

That's got to be due to his wise foraging choices

and energy conservation.

And with only grit to go,

he secures a very respectable 17,

bringing his grand total to an impressive 83.

Bernie, you sly bear, you've done it again.

Checking in on Bernie's dance partner, Casanova,

the bear with the roving eye, his focus on flirting over

feasting resulted in a subpar beefiness of only 33.

And the ingenuity marks are in, hmm, it's a meagre 13.

He'll have to be nearly perfect on grit

to stay in the competition.

And it's not enough!

Just a dismal grit score of 12 for this distracted youngster.

Gives him the big score of only 58,

which means we'll be saying goodbye.

Those escapades took their toll

and I'm also regretting showing them in slow motion.

Now, onto Boldface, our fierce mama bear.

The judges tally her beefiness score 39.

Not bad, I mean not great

but she's got to pick up the foraging.

And for ingenuity, only 15!

We'll have to assume that's due to some

questionable parenting decisions.

Gotta keep Raccoon in line I think.

Nah, he's a good bloke!

Luckily she's got some wiggle room in her grit score,

which is a nearly perfect 24!

The tenacity of a determined mother pays off,

and Boldface advances with a total big score of 78.

Right, Stomper's next.

Once the king of the hill, now fighting to reclaim his title.

His beefiness is strong at 39.

But his ingenuity comes in at just 14.

Will he be able to make up for it in grit?

No, just 12, that's a shame.

With a cumulative big score of 65,

I'm afraid he's out of the running.

A true fall from grace from a once dominant beast.

Let's see the stats for Parsnip, our island adventurer.

Ouch, her beefiness score is practically vegetarian

at just 30 out of 50.

And ingenuity, I have to imagine she'll

get a little boost for her daring swim.

Oh, 17. Not bad. I mean, not brilliant.

But she'll have to nail the grit to stay in the race.

Oh, dear, a mere 14 gives her the total score of 61.

Looks like it's the end of the road for this brave soul.

And will this be the last gasp for Blondie,

who fought tooth and claw for every point?

Mmm, looks like she didn't put on enough poundage

with a beefiness score of just 34.

And ingenuity? Ooh, a decent 17!

She's right on the bubble to pass the 70 benchmark.

And her grit is a solid 18!

I don't know why I raised my voice there.

Unfortunately she has missed the mark

with an overall score of 69.

If all those dudes stopped hitting on her

she might have fattened up enough to win.

And that means only three bears will move on to the next stage.

To our eliminated bears, we thank you for letting

us witness your compelling journeys.

[sentimental music playing]

[sentimental music continues]

Coming up on the next stage of the "Hungry Games".

July rolls out the red carpet in bear country

for the grandest event of them all.

[epic music playing]

The Salmon Run.

[epic music continues]

These aren't just any fish, they're a treasure trove

of caloric content, packed with all the calories

a bear could dream of for the upcoming

epic winter sleep-in or hibernation.

As our trio celebrates their advancement,

let's not forget that with the salmon,

come additional competitors for the "Hungry Games" Championship.

[epic music continues]

The bears of Brooks Falls.

These massive masters of the catch have been

waiting in the wings.

[epic music continues]

[bears growling]

Eyeing their entry into the competition

to put BigBoi, Boldface and Bernie to the test.

Stage 2 of the "Hungry Games" isn't just about survival.

It's a display of power, strategy and resilience.

Are these beasts ready for the next level?

Because it's here!

And the wilderness awaits its champion!

[narrator imitates trumpet]

Alright, calm down.