There鈥檚 never been a greater time to see the wonders of the great outdoors from the comfort of your own home. Ever since the meteoric rise of reality television in the late 1990s, couch potatoes around the world have been obsessed with seeing the lives and behaviors of people who were just like them, rather than the Hollywood stars who occupied scripted series.

The stories we鈥檝e seen across decades of reality television have shown the triumph of the human spirit against some of the most arduous circumstances. And nowhere is that more apparent than in outdoor reality shows, which pit humans against nature to see if they have what it takes to survive. We鈥檝e picked ten of the greatest outdoor reality shows over the years, taking us from the blistering tropics to the freezing tundra and everywhere in between.

鈥楽urvivor鈥� (2000鈥揚resent)

Of course we have to start with one of the biggest shows in modern reality television: . The series takes a group of strangers from different walks of life and strands them in the wilderness with only the clothes on their backs and some meager supplies. Their goal: build a functioning society, eliminating their fellow contestants along the way. When the show debuted in 2000, millions of viewers were hooked by the participants鈥� strong personalities and their battling of the elements. Over its 40-plus seasons, with a new one premiering this fall, the CBS juggernaut has shown contestants doing everything from eating rats for nutrition to facing off with lions in the middle of Kenya.

Watch it on CBS or stream it on or .

鈥楨co-Challenge鈥� (1995鈥�2002, 2019)

Before 眉ber-producer Mark Burnett became famous for Survivor, he created Eco-Challenge. The documentary series, considered a forerunner of modern reality television, took teams of four or five adventurous people and gave them a not-so-simple goal: traverse a 300-mile course by hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and even scuba diving. The groups raced 24 hours a day to reach the end first. Eco-Challenge popularized the sport of adventure racing and even garnered a revival season that ran in 2020 on .

Watch the latest season on .

鈥楢lone鈥� (2015鈥揚resent)

If you were left in the wilderness by yourself, with few supplies, as temperatures began to drop, how long do you think you would survive? It鈥檚 a question that鈥檚 been answered for dozens of people on the History Channel series . The series has a simple concept: get dropped off in the middle of nowhere and see if you can stick it out. Most seasons last as long as contestants can bear it before 鈥渢apping out鈥� along the way due to injury or mental fatigue. With some journeys lasting as long as 100 days, Alone shows how the real danger may not be what鈥檚 out there, but what鈥檚 in your head.

Watch it on the or .

鈥楴aked and Afraid鈥� (2013鈥揚resent)

It鈥檚 definitely the most ridiculous concept on this list. Two strangers are tasked with staying alive in the wilderness for 21 days. Oh, and they have no clothes on. Now in its 12th season, the skin-showing survival series has sent its contestants all around the world for this unique three-week experiment. While the conceit of the series sounds like a parody, is alarmingly serious. If you can look past the blurs, you鈥檒l see not only a test of survival skills but also partnership and camaraderie between two complete strangers.

Watch it on the or stream it on Discovery+.

鈥楢laska: The Last Frontier鈥� (2011鈥揚resent)

All the previous shows on this list pit people against the elements in pursuit of an ultimate prize. But there are many noncompetitive series, like , that are just as compelling. The Discovery Channel show depicts the lives of the Kilcher family as they try to build a life off the grid without the use of any modern amenities. Now going ten years strong, the series is equal parts survival show and family drama, as the clan consistently works against the clock to prepare themselves for what is always a long and harsh winter.

Watch it on the or stream it on Discovery+.

鈥楳an, Woman, Wild鈥� (2010鈥�2012)

Something as simple as building Ikea furniture can be stressful enough to tear apart even the strongest relationships. Now imagine doing that with your life on the line. That鈥檚 the concept of , in which former U.S. Army Special Forces survival expert Mykel Hawke and his television journalist wife, Ruth England, are dropped off in inhospitable settings, such as the caves of Croatia or the Amazon rainforest. In each episode, Mykel teaches his wife鈥攁nd the audience by proxy鈥攕everal survival techniques, as the pair attempt to last half a week in the wilderness. The interpersonal dynamics heighten the stakes, showing how tense a situation can get even when you鈥檙e alongside your best friend.

Stream it on .

鈥楧ual Survival鈥� (2010鈥�2016)

is another show that鈥檚 compelling for both the survival tips and the dynamic between the hosts. In this case, it鈥檚 naturalist Cody Lundin and military survival expert Dave Canterbury. The guys get stranded in various scenarios and have to survive with minimal gear. The fun comes from the two鈥檚 interactions and how their survival methods contrast, with Canterbury鈥檚 by-the-book nature bristling against Lundin鈥檚 free spirit. Even after the original two hosts had moved on, Dual Survival brought in eight others during its run, a sign of a true winning formula.

Watch it on the or stream it on Discovery+.

鈥楲ife Below Zero鈥� (2013鈥揚resent)

Like Alaska: The Last Frontier, this series takes place in remote areas of the 49th state. But instead of focusing on one group, National Geographic鈥檚 takes a look at various people across Alaska who are attempting to live off the land. The series is most successful because of its characters; though they all share the same goal鈥攖o survive off the grid by any means possible鈥攖hey are all strikingly different people. From the Hailstone family of nine to Jessie Holmes, who lives with his 40 sled dogs, each person鈥檚 backstory is gripping.

Watch it on or stream it on .

鈥楽urvivorman鈥� (2005鈥�2016)

We finish with some survivalist show stars who have become household names. In this case, it鈥檚 the titular 鈥渟urvivorman,鈥� Canadian filmmaker and survival expert Les Stroud. In every episode, he goes to a remote location for upwards of a week, equipped with minimal supplies. He鈥檚 then left to himself, filming his own experience as a one-man camera crew. The series put a less polished, more intimate style of outdoor reality show on the map. became such a game changer for the genre that it was even parodied on an episode of The Office.

Watch it on .

鈥楻unning Wild with Bear Grylls鈥� (2014鈥揚resent)

No list of outdoor reality shows is complete without mentioning Bear Grylls. The British adventurer made a name for himself in his long-running Man vs. Wild. But his most entertaining outing comes with , which partners him up with celebrities. In each episode, Grylls and a famous guest traverse the wilderness, and the stars are in for a shock as soon as they step out of Hollywood. From sports stars (Drew Brees, Deion Sanders) to actors (Kate Winslet, Julia Roberts, Terry Crews) to former presidents (Barack Obama), Running Wild shows how much the great outdoors can appeal to all of us鈥攊t鈥檚 why the outdoor reality show genre has been going strong for 25 years and counting.

Watch it on or stream it on .

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