Please Don't Eat Me

In Namibia, four redemption-minded survivalists begin a 21-day challenge split into two teams, four miles apart. Brandon Dix and Mylaena Monks form one camp, while Jolie Kathleen Faulkner and Kyle Oelofse form the other. All four enter with something to prove: Brandon has failed two previous challenges, Kyle has failed one, while Mylaena and Jolie have each completed a 14-day fan challenge.

After a brutal four-mile insertion hike, both teams manage fire on the first night, which is critical in the cold desert environment. Springbok hides help with warmth, and Brandon and Mylaena even turn theirs into sandals. Food, however, is nearly impossible to secure. Kyle searches weaver bird nests for eggs but finds none, builds a hunting blind, and misses chances at birds and even a wildebeest. Brandon tries shooting terrapins with his bow, but the arrows bounce off their shells, while Mylaena’s cricket-baited terrapin trap fails. Kyle and Jolie eventually move camps hoping for better hunting, while Brandon finally catches a terrapin by hand on day seven.

On day eight, the two teams unite and morale spikes. The group divides duties, with the men focusing on hunting while the women gather firewood, boil water, and forage. But frustration builds as the hunts keep failing and the camp work continues. By day 14, the four have eaten only about 600 calories total, and both bodies and moods begin to break down. Even on day 20, when a wildebeest wanders close to camp, they cannot get a shot off. Despite the hunger, cold, failed hunts, and growing tension, all four endure the challenge and complete extraction.